2005 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac

“A vintage from when this estate was in the ascendant, in the process of conversion to biodynamics under the direction of Jean-Michel Comme, who has since left the estate. At just over fifteen years this shows a great colour, dark and concentrated, still with a very thin rim of fresh dusty cherry red, and barely a hint of age. The aromatics are fabulously dark and brooding, and complex too, with grilled blackcurrant, red cherry, dried damson, black bean and olive, intertwined with threads of liquorice, leather and toasted tobacco. It has a huge impact at the start of the palate, dark and dripping with ripe and tightly grained tannin, driving forward a wealth of black fruits, currants, olive, slightly high-toned with a touch of soy. I see great substance and structure here still, with an almost primary presence, long and impressive. It has so much going on for fifteen years of age;and it will need decades to show its full potential, yet it is brilliant now. Drink or hold;I advise the latter.” (08/2021)

“A classic expression of this Château that’s still in its adolescent phase, the 2005 Château Pontet-Canet has a youthful ruby/plum hue to go with incredibly pure aromatics of cassis, graphite, crushed stone like minerality, and subtle cedar pencil notes. I love its overall purity and focus, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has ripe, yet building tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. While it clearly offers pleasure, especially if you don’t mind some tannins, it deserves another 3-5 years of bottle age, and it should have a two decade or so prime drinking plateau.” (04/2024)

“Tasted at the Pontet-Canet vertical in London, the 2005 Château Pontet-Canet has long been one of the stars of the vintage and this might well be the best of over a dozen showings of this wine. However, do not expect ostentation on the nose. This is 2005 and like many wines of this vintage, even with considerable decanting, it remained broody and introspective on the nose, as if it is checking you out and seeing if you are worthy. Once you have been accepted, then it swings the doors open to reveal gorgeous scents of blackberry, briary and cassis fruit, perhaps a little more sous-bois than I have noticed compared to previous bottles. The palate is medium-bodied, but dense and structured—certainly a more masculine Pontet-Canet built for long-term ageing. Yet it retains marvelous freshness and vitality all the way through to the pencil-lead, quite saline finish. I suspect that the 2009 Pontet-Canet is more approachable than the 2005, so heeding Robert Parker's sage advice, afford this up to ten years in your cellar and then reap the rewards of patience. (NM)” (07/2016)

“The 2005 Pontet-Canet is a heady, exotic wine. Inky dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, licorice, spice and tobacco are front and center. Readers will find an unabashedly opulent, full-throttle 2005 with quite a bit more oak influence and overall extraction than is the norm these days. Even so, the 2005 is a young, young wine with a bright future. This is one sexy Pauillac, that's for sure. (AG)” (04/2021)

“Warm, fleshy and inviting, featuring a gush of blackberry, fig and boysenberry compote flavors that are both primal and approachable, with light anise, sweet tobacco and ganache notes filling in behind. Shows a serious, deeply buried iron and cedar spine, as the fruit is just pumping forth now. *#7 Top 100 Wines 2008* (JM)” (02/2018)

“Despite its core of strength and power and obvious aging ability, this is already a delicious wine, with mint aromas, ripe fruit masking the solid tannins. This estate has been on a roll for several years, and this 2005 shows why. (RV)” (06/2008)

“This was the vintage in which this fine Pauillac estate became fully biodynamic, a brave decision given the maritime climate of Bordeaux. Deep in colour with no evolution, the pure blackcurrant fruit blazes out from the glass with ripe, perfumed and intense aromas. It's spicy and taut, the concentration of fruit balanced by fine acidity. This is approachable now but has firm underlying tannins and excellent balance, so it should age well. (SB)” (11/2017)

“Excellent healthy deep crimson still. Powerful aroma of stones and salt, almost more like a St-Estèphe! Vigorous and not overdone. A very good Pontet. Quite long. 18/20 points (JR)” (09/2025)