Magnum Château Pontet Canet

Wine Advocate

89 / 100

byNeal Martinthe11/4/2009

There is stark contrast between the nose on the 1996 and post-millennial vintages. This is a much more old-school Pauillac nose, less brightness of fruit, more secondary aromas such as pencil box, autumn leaves, sous-bois and a hint of sandalwood. The palate is medium-bodied, the tannins a little brusque compared to the 2000, but fresh and lively. Certainly very masculine with moderate length. A little dry towards the finish. Drinking perfectly now, although lacking the same level of breeding compared to other vintages. Drink now-2015. Tasted May 2009.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1999

I was shocked by how backward the 1996 Pontet-Canet was on the three occasions I tasted it in January. This wine possesses superb potential, but it appears a decade's worth of patience will be necessary. The color is a saturated dark purple. With coaxing, the wine offers aromas of black currant jam intertwined with minerals, sweet oak, and spice. A full-bodied wine, it possesses layered, concentrated, sweet fruit, with an elevated level of ripe tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035.

Wine Spectator

90 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe1/31/1999

A young red, with bright black licorice and berry aromas and hints of spice. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and compact fruit structure. Slightly closed on the finish, but impressive nonetheless. Best after 2002.

Wine Advocate

91-95 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/1998

A classic Pauillac, the 1996 continues to flesh out, revealing an opaque purple color, and a magnificent creme de cassis nose reminiscent of the superb vintages of Mouton-Rothschild (Pontet-Canet's neighbor). The wine is full-bodied, as well as extraordinarily rich, ripe, and powerful, with layers of sweet black fruits intertwined with earth, minerals, and spicy oak. Massive on the palate, with lofty tannin, but equally high extract, this is a profound Pontet-Canet that may turn out to be even more classic and longer-lived than the 1995 and 1994. Terrific stuff! Anticipated maturity: 2006-2035. The extraordinary effort that Alfred Tesseron is making at this property is reconfirmed with each new tasting note I write on Pontet-Canet. Having recently had the exceptionally impressive 1994 in several tastings, it is a pleasure to see this historic estate turning out wines that behave like super seconds rather than fifth-growths.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1997

Proprietor Alfred Tesseron should be commended for taking what was a good, robust, fifth-growth Pauillac, and in three years, 1994, 1995, and 1996, producing a wine that is one of the finest of the vintage. If there is such a thing as the frugal person's Chateau Latour, it may be Pontet-Canet. Despite the fact that this estate's vineyards are adjacent to Mouton-Rothschild, the 1994, 1995, and 1996 wines have had more in common with Latour than any other Pauillac. The 1996 looks to be another classic for Pontet-Canet. An opaque purple color, and a backward but huge, promising nose of sweet black fruits, fruitcake, earth, and spice are followed by an old style Pauillac that appears to have been made with no compromises. This is a mammoth, super-powerful, awesomely concentrated wine that may need 10-15 years to shed some of its tannin. However, there is no doubting that there is more than enough fruit, extract, and glycerin to withstand the aging process. It will be fun to compare the 1994, 1995, and 1996 Pontet-Canets over the next 30-35 years to see which will ultimately come out on top. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035. P.S. Patience is a must for readers considering buying this wine.