Château Pontet-Canet
2017 Pauillac AOC, 5ème Grand Cru Classé en 1855
"This is incredibly transparent and refined with blackcurrant, blueberry and mineral character. Full-bodied, layered and ethereal. Tannins have a crushed-stone character. Long and persistent." 96pts, James Suckling
"The perfume intensity of this wine is remarkable. Firm yet velvety at the same time, the tannins are the prelude to the pure, opulent blackberry fruits and balanced acidity. The lines of the wine are clear and direct, a true promise for aging. Drink from 2024." 96 pts, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux
Appellation: Pauillac AOC
Varietal/Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
ABV: 13%
Vineyard & Vine Age: The estate’s vineyards are rooted in deep Günzian gravel, streaked with sand and clay and resting on a limestone base. These well-drained soils push roots deep and naturally favour Cabernet Sauvignon, which forms the backbone of the blend, supported by Merlot and small but essential proportions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Harvest in 2017 ran from September 18 to October 4, parcel by parcel.
Cellar: 2017 also marked the debut of a new vat house built around 32 concrete vats, each holding 40 hectolitres, designed to bring vinification back to its most essential form. Since that vintage, bunches have been sorted and de-stemmed one by one directly above the vats, falling gently by gravity through a “silent” sorting table unique in the Médoc. Fermentation unfolds without machines or noise, guided entirely by human hands. Each lot is vinified separately, then aged in barrel for 16 to 18 months depending on its character.
CSPC: 129525
Winemakers Note: From the winemaker, on the 2017 vintage: Although rainfall has been a distinctive feature of most recent Bordeaux vintages ending in “ 7 ”, 2017 was marked by frost on a freezing night in late April. Fortunately, the Gironde estuary protected the vineyards of the prestigious Medoc appellations. As a result, our losses were minimal. Very favourable weather for the vines then set in for most of the season: flowering took place in mid-May and the berries had changed colour by July 7th. Despite some light rain in September, the grapes stayed perfectly healthy until they had reached optimum maturity. The harvest started on September 8th for the Merlot, followed ten days later by the Cabernet Sauvignon, then the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
What the Critics are saying:
Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux
Appellation: Pauillac AOC
"This is incredibly transparent and refined with blackcurrant, blueberry and mineral character. Full-bodied, layered and ethereal. Tannins have a crushed-stone character. Long and persistent." 96pts, James Suckling
"The perfume intensity of this wine is remarkable. Firm yet velvety at the same time, the tannins are the prelude to the pure, opulent blackberry fruits and balanced acidity. The lines of the wine are clear and direct, a true promise for aging. Drink from 2024." 96 pts, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
TECHNICAL INFO
Varietal/Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
ABV: 13%
Vineyard: The estate’s vineyards are rooted in deep Günzian gravel, streaked with sand and clay and resting on a limestone base. These well-drained soils push roots deep and naturally favour Cabernet Sauvignon, which forms the backbone of the blend, supported by Merlot and small but essential proportions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Harvest in 2017 ran from September 18 to October 4, parcel by parcel.
Cellar: 2017 also marked the debut of a new vat house built around 32 concrete vats, each holding 40 hectolitres, designed to bring vinification back to its most essential form. Since that vintage, bunches have been sorted and de-stemmed one by one directly above the vats, falling gently by gravity through a “silent” sorting table unique in the Médoc. Fermentation unfolds without machines or noise, guided entirely by human hands. Each lot is vinified separately, then aged in barrel for 16 to 18 months depending on its character.
CSPC: 129525
Winemakers Note: From the winemaker, on the 2017 vintage: Although rainfall has been a distinctive feature of most recent Bordeaux vintages ending in “ 7 ”, 2017 was marked by frost on a freezing night in late April. Fortunately, the Gironde estuary protected the vineyards of the prestigious Medoc appellations. As a result, our losses were minimal. Very favourable weather for the vines then set in for most of the season: flowering took place in mid-May and the berries had changed colour by July 7th. Despite some light rain in September, the grapes stayed perfectly healthy until they had reached optimum maturity. The harvest started on September 8th for the Merlot, followed ten days later by the Cabernet Sauvignon, then the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
What the Critics are saying:
Giovanni Autuori
Calgary + Alberta South
T: 403-971-1898
E: giovanni@vinoalvino.ca
Joe Gurba
Edmonton + Alberta North
T: 780-203-5284
E: joeg@vinoalvino.ca
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TECHNICAL INFO
Country: France
Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux
Appellation: Pauillac AOC
Climate:
Altitude:
Soils:
Varietal/Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Fermentation: Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in old oak puncheons.
Ageing:
Vineyard & Vine Age: Bull Swamp and Manilla vineyards in Baw Baw Shire. The vines were planted in 1961 and and 1964 respectively.
ABV: 13%
Produced Cases: 50
CSPC: 129525
Calgary + Alberta South
Andrew Stewart
403-604-0408
andrew@vinoalvino.ca
Edmonton + Alberta North
Joe Gurba
780-203-5284
joe@vinoalvino.ca
Saskatoon + Saskatchewan South
Kerrie Gavin
306-290-0277
kerrie@vinoalvino.ca
