Wine Advisor
Pontet Canet 2004
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s Pontet-Canet dinner at The Ledbury. The 2004 has a very expressive nose, especially when compared to the 2005 at this stage. Lifted scents of blackberry, cedar and mint with something just a little decadent in the background: orange essence perhaps, vanilla pod. The palate is very well balanced though the tannins are not quite as fine as say the 2006 with just a touch of austerity towards the long finish. This will drink long before the 2005. Tasted February 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Many people were raving about this wine, undoubtedly the fastest improving chateau in Pauillac, perhaps even on the Left Bank. I would not eulogize it as much as others, but it is very good. A ripe sweet black cherry, liquorice nose: precocious and ebullient. Full-bodied, rich with sturdy tannins and impressive fruit concentration. Harmonious with fresh acidity giving it lift. A flamboyant Pontet, continuing its run of superb wines. Tasted April 2005.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2004 Pontet-Canet has an inky/purple color and a classic nose of sweet creme de cassis, cedar, and spice box. It is medium to full-bodied, structured, quite tannic, but also impressively deep and full. This wine will need 7-10 years of cellaring and last for 20-30 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Berry Bros. vertical in London. The bouquet is obviously less intense than the 2005. Blackberry, black plum, violets, a touch of undergrowth, liquorice and there in the background is a mote of hoi sin. Superb definition and very refined, developing a candied bouquet with time. The palate is medium-bodied, very pure with superb tension. There are notes of blackberry, cassis, blueberry and bilberry, wonderful balance, but the finish is still tannic and tightly-coiled. This is a Pauillac with real panache and style although would give this 5-6 years cellaring. Drink 2011-2025. Tasted October 2009.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A brilliant effort from proprietor Alfred Tesseron, Pontet-Canet’s 2004 may ultimately prove to be a better wine than its more famous neighbor, Mouton Rothschild. Medium to full-bodied with a classic creme de cassis-scented perfume, sweet fruit, ripe tannin, tremendous purity, and a personality that suggests no manipulation, no nonsense, and hard work in both the vineyard and winery, this beautiful Pauillac should age for 2-3 decades. It is one of the most concentrated and potentially long-lived wines of the vintage. Is it as good as the 2000, 1996, and 1995? Probably not, but it is a noteworthy effort for the vintage.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Backward and powerful for the vintage, this blue/purple-colored 2004 exhibits classic creme de cassis, smoke, incense, and spring flower characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and excruciatingly tannic, this impressively endowed Pauillac is built for the long haul. However, patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2025+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Pontet-Canet vertical in London, it seems clear that the 2004 Château Pontet-Canet is predestined to always fall under the shadow of the 2005. Don't overlook this gem. The bouquet delivers pure blackberry, pencil lead and tobacco notes that are more generous than the 2005 at the moment—open for business, you might say. There is an element of dried herbs here, a hint of black tar. The palate is medium-bodied and quite sturdy in the mouth, the tannins perhaps "abrasive" when juxtaposed against the 2005, however they are couched in unexpectedly intense earthy black fruit that frame a tannic finish. If you hanker for a sumptuous Pontet-Canet, then opt for 2003 or 2009, but if your predilection is for a more "classic" Pauillac, then 2004 Pontet-Canet fits the bill. Undoubtedly a great wine from Alfred Tesseron for the vintage, I would start, broaching bottles now but keep a stash back for 4-5 years' time when those tannins have softened. Tasted February 2016.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good ruby-red. Currant, black raspberry, cocoa powder and graphite on the nose. Silky on entry, then impressively sweet in the middle palate, with classic Pauillac flavors of currant, chocolate and graphite dominating. This boasts the sharp focus of the vintage's best examples but can't quite match the 2006 for consistent ripeness and mid-palate depth. Tannins are quite firm and in need of six or seven years of patience.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good fresh ruby-red. Cassis, minerals and spice cake on the nose. Rich, dense and aromatic on the palate, with currant, mineral and spice flavors framed and lifted by harmonious acidity. Sappy and delicious, with a serious structure for aging. This may well live its life in the shadow of the 2005, but it's a superb performance for its vintage.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(65% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot) Deep medium ruby. Precise aromas of cassis, black cherry, licorice and flowers. Sweet, broad, dense and focused, with terrific purity and depth of fruit. Finishes with noble, broad tannins and outstanding persistence. Like the 2003 version, this wine really saturates the entire palate with flavor.
About the Producer
The history of Château Pontet-Canet dates back to the early 18th century when Jean-François de Pontet, grand equerry of the king became governor of the Medoc, brings together several parcels of land located in Pauillac. Subsequently, his descendants add the vineyards adjoining the locality Canet: Château Pontet-Canet was born. One hundred years later, the famous classification of 1855 included Château Pontet-Canet among the elite of the Médoc viticulture. This rise did not escape one of the first Bordeaux merchants of the time, Herman Cruse, who bought the property in 1865. He built new cellars, modernized the facilities and made this wine known throughout the world. The Cruse family managedthe property for 110 years, until another merchant, but from Cognac, Guy Tesseron, bought it in 1975. Thus, in more than two hundred years, Château Pontet-Canet knew only three different owners. Today, it is the son of Guy Tesseron, Alfred Tesseron who is at the head of the field. The Château Pontet-Canet terroir consists of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The property is 120 hectares of which 80 hectares are dedicated to the breeding of the vine. Led by Jean Michel Comme, Château Pontet-Canet’s viticulture has gone from conventional cultivation to organic farming and biodynamic farming. Thus, the terroirs, worked daily by Breton horses, have found their originality.
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