The 2019 Pontet-Canet is a Bordeaux Blend from the Pauillac sub-region of Bordeaux, France. This red wine, produced by Pontet-Canet, boasts a 13.5% alcohol content and is sealed with a cork. The wine is composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, with 35% of the production matured in amphorae, contributing to its unique profile.
James Suckling of jamessuckling.com gives the wine an outstanding 99 points, praising its "amazing" aromas, "layers of ripe fruit," and "ultra-fine tannins." He describes it as "succulent and unadulterated," with an "endless" length and advises to try it after 2028.
Decanter also awards it 98 points, highlighting its "gorgeous aromatics of freshly picked violets, cherries, and bramble fruits." The wine is noted for its "smooth and succulent" texture, "well-balanced" structure, and "long finish with great freshness." The review underscores the wine's restrained power and potential for longevity, indicating a drinking window from 2027 to 2047.
Roger Voss from Wine Enthusiast, who also scores it 98 points, comments on its "refined and vibrant" fruit and "ripe tannins," noting its weight balanced by the purity of black currant. He emphasizes its aging potential, describing it as "offering the structure and density of a very fine wine."
Jane Anson, with a score of 98 points, lauds the wine's "plump and fruit forward" character and "creamy cassis," noting its "skilled use of amphoras." She mentions that this is the last vintage with Jean-Michel Comme as technical director, marking a significant point in the wine's history.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate provides a more nuanced review, awarding it 93 points. William Kelley finds the wine "perplexing" and somewhat atypical for a Pauillac, with an "expressive bouquet of plummy fruit" and a "long, liqueured finish." He suggests that the amphora maturation contributes to its "idiosyncratic identity."
Wine Spectator rates it 94 points, describing it as "very lush" with "waves of gently mulled plum, blackberry, and black currant fruit." The review notes a "rich wine that's very light on its feet," with a finish marked by "lingering perfume."
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com gives it 97 points, highlighting its "soft, silky, polished layers of freshness" and "elegant, refined, soft, polished mid-palate." He advises aging before consumption, indicating a drinking window from 2030 to 2060.
Jeb Dunnuck scores it 92 points, noting its "savory, exotic, medium to full-bodied style" and "perplexing" nature. He mentions the estate's gradual shift in winemaking style, with a focus on hand destemming and aging in concrete and amphora.
Vinous, also rating it 92 points, describes the wine as an "outlier" with "exotic blueberry, cassis, and mulberry scents." The review finds it "powerful" and "sui generis," suggesting it has a unique identity within the flight of Pauillacs.
The Wine Independent awards the wine a near-perfect 99 points, praising its "rich, concentrated, and seductive" palate, "racy backbone," and "complex, layered flavors."
In summary, the 2019 Pontet-Canet is a critically acclaimed wine with high praise for its aromatic complexity, balanced structure, and aging potential, though some reviewers note its atypical characteristics for a Pauillac.