Chateau Pontet-Canet is bright and brilliant with full-bodied fruit, yet finesse, in the mouth. It expresses energy, tension and intensity.

The fruit is fermented with native yeast in semi-conical concrete tanks that facilitate punch-downs. The wine then macerates for an additional four weeks before being removed from the pomace for maturation. One-third of the wine is aged in large, concrete amphorae, designed expressly for Pontet-Canet. The rest ages in French oak barrels.

The 2005 Pontet-Canet Bordeaux Blend is a well-regarded wine from the Pauillac sub-region in Bordeaux, France. Known for its robust character, this wine has garnered praise from several esteemed wine critics. Produced by Pontet-Canet, this red wine, sealed with cork, offers an alcohol content of 13.0%.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded this wine an impressive 97 points, highlighting its dense, structured palate and its potential for long-term aging. Neal Martin notes, "It retains marvelous freshness and vitality all the way through to the pencil-lead, quite saline finish," suggesting patience will be rewarded with this vintage.

Similarly, Jeb Dunnuck also gives it a 97-point rating, describing it as a "classic expression" from the Château. He commends its "incredibly pure aromatics of cassis, graphite, crushed stone-like minerality," and points out its medium to full-bodied nature. Dunnuck recommends allowing this wine another 3-5 years in the bottle for optimal enjoyment.

Wine Spectator praises the wine with a 96-point score, calling it "warm, fleshy, and inviting," with a mix of blackberry, fig, and boysenberry compote flavors. The publication suggests this wine is both approachable now and suitable for aging until 2035.

Other reviewers, including Mike Supple from JJ Buckley and Wine Enthusiast, both award it 94 points. Supple notes its "complex nose of blueberry, boysenberry, toasty vanilla oak" and "strong yet well-balanced juicy tannins." Wine Enthusiast acknowledges its aging potential and highlights its "mint aromas, ripe fruit masking the solid tannins."

Decanter and Jeff Leve offer slightly more reserved praise, with scores of 92 and 93, respectively. Decanter remarks on the wine's initial lack of charm but acknowledges its firm tannins and structure, while Leve describes it as "firm, stoic, crisp, tannic," suggesting it needs more time in the cellar.

In summary, the 2005 Pontet-Canet is a standout vintage, characterized by its complexity, structure, and aging potential, with multiple critics suggesting it will continue to evolve beautifully with time.