Chateau Pontet Canet 2016

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "A voluptuous wine, this is rich and fruity yet properly balanced by a magnificent structure. Pure, crisp and packed with a black currant flavor, this will be a remarkable wine as it develops. Still young, it needs many years to develop. Don't think about drinking before 2025."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Still holding on to the color of a barrel sample, the wine combines purity, elegance, power, freshness and complexity. The fruit builds and expands. Mouth coating and palate staining, it is hard to decide what I like more, the elegance, purity, silky texture or incredible length. Clearly, this is one of the great vintages for Pontet Canet!"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Pontet-Canet hits the ground running with a hedonic nose of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis and blueberry pie plus suggestions of candied violets, hoisin, chocolate mint, charcuteries and forest floor with a waft of star anise. Full-bodied, rich, profoundly layered and powerfully fruited, the palate is built like a brick house, with very firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and harmonious freshness, finishing with incredible length and depth. Still incredibly primary and yet already strutting so many layers, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this warrants the three-digit score in a few years' time."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Reminding me of the 2010 and, I suspect, a wine that will merit a triple-digit rating in a decade or so (I tasted this on multiple occasions and thought it was perfect on one of them), the 2016 Château Pontet-Canet comes from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot that spent 16 months in 50% new French oak, 35% in concrete amphora, and the rest in second fill oak. Thrilling notes of pure crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, crushed mint, graphite, and crushed rock notes all emerge from this deep, powerful, yet elegant Pauillac. The style of this wine has become more and more finesse-driven and pure, yet it hasn’t lost a beat on concentration or length. This singular, beautiful Pontet-Canet needs 7-8 years of cellaring (it has some accessibility today given its purity and balance) and will keep for 4-5 decades."

JAMES SUCKLING: "The aromas of ripe blackcurrants, iodine, sweet tobacco and fresh flowers are spellbinding. Full-bodied with mouth-expanding, massive and natural tannins. Impressive fruit with hints of prunes. The finish is long and powerful. Needs six to seven years to soften and come together. Try from 2025."

WEINWISSER: "60 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot. 13,5 vol %, 34 hl/ha. Dichtes, dunkles Purpur mit lila Rand. Ausladendes Schattenmorellenbouquet, Kirschtabak und reife Pflaumen. Im Gaumen mit engmaschigem Tanningerüst und reifem, feinsprödem Extrakt, mit Muskeln und ordentlich Fleisch bepackt, im Rückaroma mit viel Heidelbeere und einem gebündelten langen Finale. Der Wein gleicht vom Typ eher einem Monte Bello von Ridge als einem Bordeaux."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, dezente Randaufhellung, reife Herzkirschen, süße Pflaumen, feine Kräuterwürze, ein Hauch von Nougat, facettenreiches Bukett. Saftig, elegante Textur, feine Extraktsüße, eingebundene Tannine, gute Frische, süße Frucht im Abgang, gutes Entwicklungspotenzial."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is sappy and rich in feel, with waves of red and black currant preserves, raspberry and bitter plum coulis. The long finish drips with sweet tobacco and anise notes, while a brambly layer courses underneath. The vivacious finish kicks into second gear as the fruit and grip come together. Best from 2023 through 2038."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Very dark crimson. Thick and sweet and hedonistic. Masses of tannin and ambition. Really big scaled! Successful. Very long and dense but with sufficient ripeness and refreshment."