Chateau Pontet Canet 2014

JAMES SUCKLING: "A stunning wine for this vintage although it’s still a bit shy on the nose (more spice than fruit showing than now). There’s wet earth, too, but on the palate it’s bursting with ripe yet subtle flavors. Very long and complex finish that goes on and on."

JEB DUNNUCK: "A final blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2014 Pontet-Canet is brilliant stuff, and I was able to taste this wine from barrel as well as multiple times from bottle, both at the estate and from a bottle purchased in the United States. It offers a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, tobacco leaf, and minerals, as well as an unmistakable Pauillac lead pencil characteristics that I just adore. Possessing full-bodied richness, a rounded, surprisingly opulent, sexy texture, awesome purity, and sweet, succulent tannin, it’s a sensational 2014 that might just surpass what they accomplished in 2015. This is a 2014 you won’t regret buying in bulk as it’s going to keep for 2-3 decades and be drinkable for the vast majority of it. Bravo to Alfred Tesseron and his team!"

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This is a finely structured wine with dark tannins and intense black fruits. The estate, with its biodynamically grown fruit, has given an impressively pure wine, packed with tight serious tannins and a fine structure of black-plum skins and intense acidity. It is direct, firm and with a huge potential over many years. Drink from 2027."

DECANTER: "Classic Cabernet nose of cassis. Lovely purity and depth with a silky texture that caresses the palate – more obviously Pontet-Canet than Pauillac. An extremely fine wine almost in a class of its own."

FALSTAFF: "Makellos pure Cassisfrucht, ätherische Nebentöne, Lakritze, Maiglöckchen, auch etwas Pflaume und Zibarte, dezent integriertes Holz. Seidiges feinkörniges, trotz der mürben Anlage Griff aufbauendes Tannin, das in einem weichen Körper Druck macht, ohne zu adstringieren oder auszutrocknen. Homogene Gaumenfrucht, feingliedriger Säurenerv. Ein ausgewogener und dabei unforciert wirkender Wein, mit sehr fester taktiler Mineralität zuinnerst. 50 Prozent Ausbau im Neuholz, 35 Prozent in Amphore/Ei, 15 Prozent in gebrauchten Barriques."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Dark ruby in color, the nose offers truffle, tobacco, cassis and black fruits. Concentrated, tannic and full bodied, the wine has depth, tannins to spare, ripe dark fruits, plum, dark chocolate and cassis. Leave this in your cellar to rest for at least a decade before popping a cork, and you´re in for a treat!"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet with a hint of purple to the color, the 2014 Pontet-Canet gives a very serious, classic Pauillac nose of blackcurrant preserves, baked blackberries and warm black plums with suggestions of menthol, pencil lead, woodsmoke, cassia and cast-iron pan plus a hint of baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with black and blue fruit preserves with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, giving lift to the long, exotic spice-laced finish. It is approachable now, but really should start to make jaws drop in another 4-5 years."

WEINWISSER: "(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 30 hl/ha) Dichtes, tiefes, samtenes, fein opulentes Bouquet, schwarze Beeren, Dörrpflaumen, Black Currant, Graphit, Tabak, Leder, Lakritze. Dichter, kraftvoller, gut opulenter Gaumen mit kräftiger, vielfältiger, süsser Aromatik, viel gutem Tannin, sehr guter Mineralik, samtener, süsser Frucht, konzentrierter, gut muskulöser Struktur, sehr langer, dichter Abgang mit guten Rückaromen. Kann noch zulegen. 18/20 2023 - 2040"

WINE SPECTATOR: "This delivers a notable menthol note, showing an ample core of well-steeped blackberry, plum and black currant fruit. A bright anise streak checks in on the back end, with a slightly loamy structure imparting a broad feel through the finish. Needs to pull together a bit more, but the fruit is there. Best from 2020 through 2030."