Pontet Canet (BIO-ORGANIC) - Pauillac 2022

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

96

byJane Ansonthe3/7/2025

Deep plum colour, iodine on the nose, this is gorgeously nuanced, does not give the impression of an extremely hot dry vintage, and retains energy. Perhaps not quite the depth through the mid palate of the very best vintages of Pontet, but packed with graphite, crushed raspberry, griotte cherry, black chocolate, crayon. Bright lift through the palate, along with high spice, and muscular tannnins. Shorter than average ageing, finishing in cement vats for five months. A single point upscore. First year with lighter bottle.

Jeb DUNNUCK

100

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

A sensational Pauillac as well as the finest wine from this château since the 2009 (although the 2010 might have something to say about that), the 2022 Château Pontet-Canet sports a deep purple hue as well as a heavenly perfume of crème de cassis, smoke, incense, leafy tobacco, and chocolate. This beauty has sensational purity, a deep, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, flawless balance, and incredible precision and detail in its aromas and flavors. Despite its opulence and power, it has a solid underlying structure, and its tannins are sweet and polished; it has remarkable depth and concentration, and it just does everything right. I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up slightly over the coming 3-5 years, although I don't expect it to truly shut down. It should have 40, 50, if not 60 years of overall longevity. The 2022 is based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new barrels, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used oak.

Yvesbeck.wine

99

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot Que d'énergie, de précision, de délicatesse, d'authenticité dans le bouquet de Pontet Canet ! Quelle aura en bouche, dès l'attaque, avec une évidente corrélation entre le bouquet et le palais. Le vin est puissant, profond et élégant. Il parvient à se profiler comme nul autre avec une évidente identité ; il est juste lui, et cela vaut de l'or, surtout en concrétisant aussi bien ses aptitudes dédiées à la finesse dans un contexte de puissance. Un vin sapide, précis, long et strict avec une austérité énergétique, tonique et entraînante qui ne manque pas d'étirer la finale. 2028-2052 99/100

Vinous

95

byNeal Martinthe2/12/2025

The 2022 Pontet Canet, raised in 35% amphora, changes remarkably over 10 minutes of aeration. Initially quite pungent and almost off-putting, it then coheres nicely, manifesting classic Pauillac scents of graphite and cedar, with less eucalyptus than the 2020 poured alongside. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, fresh and vibrant. It's slightly grainy in texture, with a little chalkiness developing toward a sapid, Japanese nori-tinged finish. This is a very promising Pontet Canet.

Jamessuckling.com

99

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2025

The concentration of dried herbs such as thyme, sage and mint with blackcurrants and Spanish cedar is mesmerizing. Full-bodied with a dense and intense palate, this has creamy, crunchy tannins and a long and flavorful finish that goes on for minutes. Punchy and rich with lots of power. The real identity of Pontet-Canet comes through despite the hot and dry growing year. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Best after 2029.

Vinous

97

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a super-refined wine from the Tesseron family. It is perhaps a touch less opulent than in years past, but in exchange, it boasts more energy, focus and cut, all qualities that are so welcome here. Bright red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint and mocha all build effortlessly in the glass. In 2022, Pontet Canet is shaping up to be an absolute gem.

Wine Spectator

94

byJames Molesworththe1/22/2025

Alluring and smoldering, with dark violet, iris and anise notes infusing the core of plum sauce and dark currant preserves. A bolt of cast iron runs underneath, and there's a late tug of freshly tilled humus on the finish, all while the fruit keeps the upper hand. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2028 through 2042.

Decanter.com

95

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

Vibrant, vivid purple colour in the glass, rich and deep. Smells bright, super fresh and expressive on the nose with freshly-picked blackcurrants and perfumed purple flowers - the Petit Verdot, really standing out. Clean and clear, creamy, powdery and softly chewy on the palate. The texture is lovely, you can tell they haven't over extracted but there’s still clear concentration with a gentle succulence provided by the acidity, cool freshness and appealing mineral touches alongside liquorice, clove, dried herbs and bitter chocolate. Enjoyable and well defined if still a little compact. 3.85pH. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 15% press wine used. Harvest 8 - 28 September, the earliest and longest ever. 20% lower yields than in 2021. The technical team used a clay sunscreen on the grapes to avoid burning. Tasted twice.

Alexandre Ma

98-100

byAlexandre Mathe5/17/2023

Mr. Alfred Tesseron harbors an unwavering dedication to Château Pontet-Canet: "We craft a single wine, the everlasting Grand Vin." Amidst the challenges of the 2022 vintage, his team meticulously pruned all dried grapes, consigning them mercilessly back to the earth. The remaining grapes thus forged the legendary moment for Château Pontet-Canet 2022: a veritable obsidian sea, where bayberries, blueberries, tea cakes, black goji berries, and violets cavort and frolic, wave upon wave, leaving one breathless; its acidity stands exceptionally taut, ranking it among the most refreshing wines of the Médoc. Graphite and iron notes intertwine, melding with the succulent palate, revealing an enchanting harmony of strength and gentleness, softness cloaking an iron core. The creamy finish complements the initial juiciness, as the aftertaste reveals an exceedingly rare umami savoriness. Such kaleidoscopic layers leave me utterly captivated, moved to the verge of tears during the tasting. For Château Pontet-Canet, 2022 bears extraordinary significance; in my heart, it represents the long-sought "divine masterpiece".

Vinous

94-96

byNeal Martinthe5/17/2023

The 2022 Pontet Canet has a pure nose with perfumed blackberry and cassis fruit. It takes time to cohere, evolving light pencil lead notes after 8-10 minutes. The palate has a lovely chalky texture on the entry, and a silver bead of acidity. Perhaps, more complexity than the aromatics suggest at the moment. Fine balance, moderate grip, the mineralité coming toward the final third, it fans out with gusto. There is quite a long residual peppery note on the aftertaste that you can feel after 30 seconds. I have not pulled any punches in recent vintages, when stylistically, I felt that it has veered too far away from Pauillac, for my personal taste. But closely examining this 2022, today, it seems safely within the appellation.

The Vintage Journal

95-96

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2023

Deep colour. Intense elderberry, cassis, vanilla aromas with a touch of violet. Richly concentrated and complex with deep set dark berry pastille fruits, underlying grilled nut notes, a touch cheesy/ creamy on the mid palate and well balanced grainy/ chocolaty dense tannis. Extraordinary viscosity and power with tannins building up soupy at the finish. But this could be something transcendent. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc 4% Petit Verdot 50% new oak 15% first use 35% concrete amphorae . . 95-96+

matthewjukes.com

19

byMatthew Jukesthe5/15/2023

The Wine Independent

97-99

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/15/2023

The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, aging 50% in new oak barrels, 35% in amphoras, and 15% in used barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs considerable swirling and coaxing to reveal aromas of damp earth, fragrant soil, crushed rocks, and underbrush, giving way to a profound core of blackcurrant cordial, juicy black plums, and fresh blackberries. The full-bodied palate is laden with nuanced black fruits, slowly releasing earthy and mineral-laced flavors, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. Talk about tasting the place! This is Pauillac in all its powerful, energetic glory.

Yvesbeck.wine

97-98

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Beaucoup de finesse dans le bouquet de Pontet-Canet qui se révèle de manière progressive, précise. Les marqueurs de Pauillac et de Pontet-Canet sont bien là, complétés par des nuances fruitées et chocolatées. C'est néanmoins la fraîcheur qui pose les jalons, car elle est exceptionnelle, rien qu'au niveau olfactif. Le vin est compact, élégant et crémeux. A l'image du bouquet il se révèle pas à pas. Pontet Canet 2022 est fin, élégant, mais il ne manque pas de revendiquer un caractère affirmé, précis, juteux et salivant. La finale souligne à quel point le vin est en mesure de tenir la comparaison avec les plus grands crus de Pauillac. Que de tension, de clarté, de précision. Un vin brillant !

Bettane & Desseauve

98

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

Coup de cœur immédiat de notre équipe pour la beauté de son nez associant les fruits noirs, le tabac et la violette avec une aisance étonnante, corps parfait, texture idéale, grande longueur. Un pontet-canet magique.

Jeb DUNNUCK

97-99

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

The 2022 Château Pontet-Canet is brilliant and should easily be up with the crème de la crème from the Médoc. Based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was vinified mostly in concrete (there's a small part in wood), and the aging is in 50% new French oak, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used barrels. It has an incredibly pure bouquet of cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth. This carries to a full-bodied Pauillac with a deep, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It has the purity, richness, and structure that makes this vintage so compelling and is going to be drinkable with just 4-6 years of bottle age but have an incredibly long life. 97-99+

Vinous

95-97

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a surprising wine. Usually much more opulent, especially in warm, dry years, the 2022 comes across as restrained and understated. It is a wine of linear intensity rather than size, marked by notable freshness and a feeling of tension and precision I don’t recall seeing in the past. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. I very much admire the precision and vibrancy here. Unforgettable. Drinking window : 2028-2042

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

Deep purple with a blue hue in color, the wine is almost opaque in color. Cassis, flowers, plums, licorice, and tobacco leaf aromas adorn the perfume. It is already clear that with this wine, it is the purity in the fruit that stands out. The palate is equally pure, with its layers of glycerin-filled blackberries, and plums. The wine is lush, as well as refined. The finish meshes concentration with elegance, power with purity, lift and length. The peppery, spicy note, along with the resounding minty-freshness, and a touch of anise in the long, finish is what stands out here. There is no sensation of heat or over ripeness in this wine in the mid-palate or in the finish. The wine blends 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot.14.7% ABV, pH 3.8. Harvesting took place September 8 - September 28. This is longest harvest and the earliest harvest in the history of the estate. The wine is aging in a combination of 50% new, French oak, and 35% Amphora. Pontet Canet is often a slow starter in barrel. My score could go higher when the wine is in bottle. Drink from 2028-2060.

Jamessuckling.com

99-100

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

What a finish on this Pontet-Canet. So much energy and brightness. It's full-bodied yet so tight and focused with superb fruit and transparency. It is racy and fine with super fine texture. It's like crushed cabernet sauvignon with cassis, tobacco and cigar box. Licorice and spices. Freshness of the seed. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 4% cabernet franc, and 4% petit verdot.