Pontet Canet 2000 Ex-Chateau (750ML)

94+ RP / 94 JS / 93 VM / 92 WS

Upgraded in score over my original rating, which was several points lower, Alfred Tesseron has done a remarkable job since 1994 with Pontet-Canet, which has been hitting first-growth levels since 2003. But the 2000 also shows exceptionally well. In need of another decade of cellaring, this dense purple wine has a classic nose of incense, charcoal, creme de cassis, and subtle new oak. Full-bodied, powerful, still very tannic, and shockingly backward, this is a big, rich wine that has put on weight and seems to need more time than I originally predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035+. - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

Extremely rich and decadent with leaf, meat and spice aromas. Ripe fruit too. Lots of toasted wood. Full and mature now. Lovely to drink now. Gorgeous. - James Suckling

Deep red-ruby. Explosive nose combines raspberry, roasted currant, grilled nuts and exotic spices. Rich, sexy, silky and full in the mouth, with expressive flavors of black raspberry, game, smoke and truffle. Finishes with strong but suave tannins and excellent length. St. Julien - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media

A lovely lead-in of singed cedar and vanilla notes gives way to slightly taut, racy red and black currant fruit flavors that drive nicely through an iron-edged finish. Rather sleek and tightly focused, relying more on minerality than power.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator