Chateau Pontet Canet 2009

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet in color, the 2009 Pontet-Canet slips sensuously from the glass with opulent scents of crème de cassis, baked plums and Black Forest cake plus suggestions of Chinese five spice, potpourri, oolong tea and menthol. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and oh-so-decadent in the mouth, it has a fantastically velvety frame and seamless freshness, finishing very long."

WEINWISSER: "(65 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot): hat sich die Mehrarbeit erstmals ausgezahlt: Nach einem verregneten Start ins Jahr kam mit Beginn des Sommers die Sonne und blieb bis zur Ernte. Pontet- Canet erhielt erstmals 100 Punkte. Am Gaumen ein Equilibrium aus pointiertem Antrunk bei druckvoller Mitte und hohem Extrakt am Gaumen mit reifer Phenolik und ambrosialer Länge. Bestimmte, charmante Art. Die Jahrgänge 2007 bis 2009 können ebenfalls als Cluster zusammengefasst werden: Die Frucht tritt spürbar in den Vordergrund, der Einsatz von Neuholz hat sich auf 35 % reduziert, dazu kommt verstärkter Ausbau im Beton."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2009 Pontet-Canet continues to just knock it out of the park every time I’ve been lucky enough to drink a bottle, and this beauty was as good as it gets yet again. Deep purple-colored, full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and just about off the charts in terms of scale and density, it nevertheless just glides across the palate with an ethereal, seamless texture that never seems heavy or cumbersome. This is pure Pauillac in all its glory and is a monumental wine in every way. Drink it any time over the coming 4-5 decades."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "What makes this all work, is the perfectly ripe fruit that shows off its purity with ease. Supple textured, multi-layered and with a finish that seems to never leave, the wine is rich, luscious, opulent and mouth-coating. Intense, yet not heavy, everything is in balance. The mouth-coating finish hangs with you for close to 60 seconds. Not quite primary, but still obviously young, if you like wines with sweet, exuberant fruit, why not pop a cork and check it out? Else wait another decade for its real character to kick in."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "A superb wine, with the purest fruit, great freshness and ripeness. It is certainly structured with dry tannins, but the blackcurrant freshness is all there. The wine has a great limpid, flowing feel, lbut also power."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Stunning aromas of fresh flowers, with blueberries, blackberries and currants that follow through to a full body, with super balance and finesse. The tannins are super polished. Such class here. Best ever from here. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try in 2018."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Reife Brombeeren, schwarze Kirschen, etwas Nougat, ein Hauch von Tabak und Unterholz, feine animalische Nuancen sind unterlegt. Sehr saftig und komplex, extraktsüße Textur, dunkle Waldbeeren, präsente, sehr gut eingebundene Tannine, gute Frische, mineralisch, bleibt lange haften, bereits gut entwickelt, zeigt einen würzig-salzigen Abgang, verfügt über sicheres Reifepotenzial, kombiniert Kraft mit Eleganz. Bereits antrinkbar, aber besser noch warten."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is amazingly expressive now considering how huge it is, with stunning espresso and warm fig confiture aromas followed by lush layer after layer of blackberry paste, cassis and plum sauce. A terrific loam underpinning strides in on the finish, which is weighty but sports serious cut. Equal parts fruit and earth. Best from 2018 through 2038. 26,665 cases made."

DECANTER: "Sumptuous black-fruits nose, vividly aromatic, as well as minty, stylish, and toasty. Very rich, broad, full-bodied and generous, with very ripe tannins and a lot fo spice. Perhaps slightly lower acidity than usual but has punch and persistence all the same. Approachable, just, but will benefit from more age. Good length with a chewy but not astringent finish."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Mid crimson. Sweet tea leaves on the nose. Nice and neat and satisfying with some light dry tannins on the end. Good for now and the future without being a standout. Quite spicy."