2010 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac

“The aromas to this are incredible with blueberry, minerals, dried flowers, and stones. It goes to dried meat and spices. Full body and incredibly integrated with blackberry, licorice, and minerals. There's a wonderful purity to this. It goes on for minutes. The quality of tannins is amazing. Seamless. There's an amazing transparency that shows you all the elements of the wine's unique terroir.” (11/2013)

“The 2010 Pontet-Canet offers a very deep garnet color. Whoa—the nose explodes with a vast array of black fruit preserves and savory nuances: plum preserves, blackcurrant cordial, black cherry coulis and licorice with wafts of dried lavender, melted chocolate, charcuterie, black olives, truffles and camphor plus a hint of sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is completely filled with black fruits, exotic spices and earthy nuances with a firm foundation of ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. So much more expressive and seductive than a lot of 2010s at this stage, and yet it is still incredibly youthful! (LPB)” (05/2020)

“The 2010 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-black in color, it sashays out of the glass with opulent scents of Chinese five spice, smoked meats, and cigar box, over a core of prunes, redcurrant jelly, and fruitcake with a waft of espresso. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm, grainy structure with tons of freshness supporting the decadent spice and fruit preserves layers, finishing with great length. It is delicious to drink now! (LPB)” (06/2022)

“The 2010 Château Pontet Canet is still beautiful, with a youthful sense of style in its darker currants, saddle leather, violets, graphite, and floral aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, rich, concentrated, and textured Pauillac that remains balanced, light on its feet, and structured. It’s far from inaccessible, yet it still needs another 4-5 years and will be incredibly long-lived. I continue to favor the 2009 over the 2010, but there’s no denying that this is a magical Pontet Canet.” (06/2025)

“Dense, yes, but this is also a handsome wine that balances complex tannins with pure black currant fruits that shine. This biodynamic wine has a generous, full and rich feel, ripe with just a touch of restraint. The greatness of the wine shows in its purity with a deceptive simplicity that hides the final complex tannins and structure. (RV)” (05/2013)

“Class in glass. Deep ruby, youthful tone. Such sumptuous red berry, cassis and tobacco aromas. Juicy and full bodied, with smoothly textured tannins. The creamy mid palate texture is framed by an impressive arc of tension and balancing acidity, ensuring long life. Long finish. Super! (PK)” (05/2021)

“Velvety tannins, intense with a black cherry and luscious creamy blackberry, fresh fig and raspberry fruits, with tobacco, liquorice, cedar, sandalwood, fennel. It's a wine to love, higher alcohol than usual in Pauillac which gives weight and texture through the mid palate, but the tannins are powerful enough to keep things confidently in check, and it is just starting to move into its drinking window. Harvest September 29 to October 17. First year of biodynamic certification.” (09/2024)

“This is big, broad and powerfully rendered, but remarkably polished and refined at the same time. An enormous core of roasted fig, blackberry and black currant fruit is suavely wrapped with roasted apple wood and sandalwood, while dark espresso, loam and warm paving stone notes drive the finish. Very long, with a great tug of scorched earth at the end. A terrific combination of power and precision. (JM)” (03/2013)

“Bright ruby-red. Superripe, soil-driven aromas of currant, plum, cherry pie, mocha and minerals; almost liqueur-like in its ripeness, in a 1947 way. Then huge, sweet and plush, with great volume and depth to its flavors of cassis, flowers, minerals, game and olive. Finishes with big, ripe, horizontal tannins and great mounting length. This remarkably thick wine is actually a bit youthfully stunted today and should really be cellared for ten years. It should go on for three or four decades in a cool cellar. (ST) 95+” (07/2013)

“Evident concentration here, great colour too. A very different fruit profile to the 2011, 2012 and 2013 poured alongside, it feels darker, deeper, and yet it remains perfumed, bright and nuanced, with a floral and oyster-shell lift to it. The palate, however, is classic 2010, with a stern substance made from a dark central seam of tannin and acidity, the fruit elegantly wrapped around it all. We have a fine composition here, sinewy and convincing. A big finish of firm tannins. This one is set for the long haul. 18/20 points” (05/2014)

“Wonderfully classic nose backed up with still-juicy black fruit. Such a faithful rendition of claret, albeit clearly from a ripe vintage. Cedar, dried tobacco, clove, aniseed. (RH)” (10/2023)