Château Pontet-Canet 5th Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2020

While Justine Tesseron declined my request to taste at the property, I was able to acquire a bottle of the 2020 Pontet-Canet for review. The wine starts strong, wafting from the glass with attractive aromas of cherries, sweet berries and plum preserve mingled with lilac and licorice, but that's followed by a medium to full-bodied, firm and extracted palate that lacks the amplitude and flesh to conceal the rather drying tannins which dominate the earthy finish. It's an open secret among Bordeaux insiders that this estate—which has benefited from such significant and laudable investments and which was on such an upward trajectory through 2011—has been a perplexingly erratic performer since 2012, intermingling successful vintages with relative failures, and the 2020 only confirms that. While the 2020 isn't by any means a flawed wine, and time may well be kind to it, it doesn't transcend this estate's fifth growth status, even if this château's terroir clearly has the potential to. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Deep dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, opaque core, delicate rim brightening. Black cherries, fine cassis, ripe plums, hints of nougat, candied orange zest, very fine noble wood savouriness, inviting bouquet. Complex, juicy, savoury texture, peppery touch, ripe and fine tannins, taut, mineral-salty finish, very structured, still somewhat demanding on the finish, will benefit from extended bottle aging. (2030-2065).

The magnificent structure and balance of this wine are powerful. It shows poise between the black fruits and the freshness of the vintage, while the texture is almost velvet. The wine is juicy and seriously structured at the same time. Drink from 2027. Organic and biodynamic.

A powerful character to this wine, touch of oyster shell, soy, salinity, but also creamy with energy, lift and precision, and a violet character that you find increasingly in Pontet Canet. Plenty of Pauillac signature in its tannic grip and heft, with cocoa bean and slate. Deft and exceptionally successful. Harvest September 14 to September 30. No second wine, as has been true for the past half-decade at Pontet Canet. First full vintage for Mathieu Bessonnet who replaced the previous long-term director Jean-Michel Comme in 2020. 45% new oak barrels, 15% one year, 40% in amphoras.