Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I’ve had a number of PC 96’s over time, none quite this good. The fill line & cork perfect. Very little sediment. Some bottle neck tannin burn. For me, Pontet Canet didn’t really hit its consistent, quality stride until 2005. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a few beauties before then. Pontet Canet is proof that the 1855 Bordeaux Classification needs to be redone. Unlikely it will in my lifetime.

This 96 maybe just short of its precipice. Stylistically a little better than 94.

The nose reminds me of everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola. Sweet forest floor w/ leaves, sweet mushrooms, sweet led pencil shavings, steeped tea w/ hints of fruit, charcoal, dry tobacco/leather, some dry herbs, withering dark, red flowers, red roses with violets.

The palate is also everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola/red vines. Everything I understood the first time standing in the estate vineyard of Pichon Baron. Tasting limestone, dry river stone, dark, rich soils with dry leaves, dry stems. In fact, I’ve tasted vineyards soils everywhere I have been in every world wine region. Basically, everywhere in the wine world that has reliance. Many multiple times. Sweet graphite, steeped tea w/ hints of dark fruit, understated, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin, dark cocoa, dark exotic spices, some anise to black licorice, charcoal, dry tobacco with ash/leather, some dry herbs-safe/bay leaf, limestone, dry river stone, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, earth with dry leaves, dry topsoils, dry stems, withering/dry dark, red flowers, red roses with violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with an extremely well balanced/structured/tensioned, great length and an elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls nicely on dry earth and dark spices.

A very, very slow roll with my Ribcap. Definitely better with the steak than on its own.

This bottle tells me this 96 has plenty of good drinking ahead, another 8-10 yrs+.

ABV is 13%. Disappointing it ever changed. — 6 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Pale ruby in color; bright cherries, black tea, and potpourri on the nose; medium plus acidity; medium plus tannins; tastes like cranberries, raspberries, and clay pots with a long finish. Nellie didn't like it, Thy says it's gross, Jason says it's ok, I like it, and Wine Spectator ranked it as number 9 in its top 100 list of wines for 2024. — 2 years ago

with Jason and Nellie

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.2

Super! Absolutely super wine — 5 years ago

Bestpolar

9.6

Lockdown week 2 January 2021
Bottle number 001096
medaille de bronze concours general agricole Paris 2002 — 5 years ago

Rahul Sharma

8.9

My contact number is 9024187710 — 7 years ago

Donald Williams

9.3

I’ve always liked Marietta Old Vine Red. This was even better than usual. — 7 years ago

with Bonnie

Shay A

9.5

WNH event number two. Rhône varietal wines with TX BBQ...a match made in Heaven!

Enjoyed this towards the end of lunch as it seemed to be on he heavier side. If I tasted blind, I may have gone with WA state Syrah...there was a richness to this that translates to bacon, ripe black and blue fruit. Less red fruit and spice but more fig, bayleaf and blackberry. Not herbal or funky (olive like) but the concentration and power here is impressive. Youthful. Will be dreamy stuff in the next few years! Well done @Bill Bender . — 8 years ago

with Mike, David and 4 others

Dave

9.0

Costco wine number 2 of 5 for the family suarêz. These came in the cute gift box, let's see how it does. This wine is very tannic, it has nice cherry flavors with leather and stone. After an hour of being uncorked, it tastes just fine! I truly like it more than a $60 Pomerol I tasted last week. Not bad.
Listening to Black Sabbath — 7 months ago

Angelo Casagrande

8.9

Zin, with some Petit Syrah, carignan, Barbera, and some else I can’t remember. Lots of Black cherry and some spice. No tannins or oak. Great burger wine for $15. — a year ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2002 vintage. Nice fill, good cork. Decanted with a respectable amount of powdery sed. Smelled great during decanting. Tasted 1.5 hours after opening/decanting. Expected light body with delicate tendrils. Medium body with a light palate footprint. Holy shazzbaat. This was absolutely firing. Like top of the pops, straight up to number one. Exceptional knitting and in a perfect spot now. Go all the way back to the inaugural 1982 vintage with this winery’s cabernet…thought my all-time fave was the 1991 altho the 1986 and 1987 were special. The 2020, picked early, thus avoiding the fires, is phenomenal as well. This was on another level and have had approx 150 bottles of Spottswoode Cab in the last three + decades. It was probably the best out of all of them. Difficult to imagine Napa Cab better than this. Power and finesse on display. Not improving but can hold this intensity for another 4-5 years. 12.24.24. — 2 years ago

Pooneet K

8.9

Quite faded. Definitely better than expected given the last bottle of this we had. Nice pairing with Turkey on thanksgiving number two. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s 1/2 bottle n/v Billecart evening.

This is a more appropriate color of rose for the Rosé color of this champagne.

My go to n/v Rosé Champange for a number of reasons…quality & 1/2 bottle availability are right up there.

Blood orange, black cherries, Rainer cherries, lean strawberries, pomegranate juice, hints of raw rhubarb, grainy, grippy, sharp chalkiness, crunchy volcanics, limestone, sea fossils, baguette crust, deep white spice, orange lilies, peach roses, excellent, lively acidity with a rich, well balanced smart finish that starts clean, ripe fruits falling onto perfect minerality. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Family-owned and operated since 1985. Found a ‘16 vintage in my cellar. Grapes sourced from several vineyards, complex aromas of fruits, citrus & sweet spice. On the palate ripe fruits, apple, pear and peach with lemon citrus and vanilla adding toasty oak. French oak aging, great balance, lingering ending with toasty oak finish. I continue to have this wine as a staple in my cellar for a number of years. Enjoy! Great value, compared to Chards costing more! — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I had this a number of times but, have never written notes. 🎶Tonight’s the Night!🎶

The nose reveals; lemon custard to candy, lime zest, grapefruit, pineapple, green apple, light stone fruits, green melon, lychees, cream, vanillin, light ginger, cream soda, mixed nuts, bread dough to baguette crust, light green herbs, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, sea shell fossils, volcanic minerals, yellow lilies, jasmine with mixed greens.

The body is; full, round, rich and slightly creamy. Lemon custard to candy, lime zest, grapefruit, pineapple, green apple, light stone fruits, green melon, lychees, cream, beeswax, vanillin, light ginger, white spice with some palate heat, cream soda, touch of caramel, toffee notes, nougat, marzipan, mixed nuts, bread dough to baguette crust, light green herbs, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, sea shell fossils, volcanic minerals, yellow lilies, jasmine with mixed greens. The acidity is crisp and sharp. The long finish is; rich, polished, elegant, nicely balanced, delicious and persists endlessly. Very good at its price point.

Photos of; the House of Piper Heidsieck, the train cave ride as Champange caves can run for miles and miles, artful cellar entrance and one of their Grand Cru vineyards. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Earlier I wrote about the 06 vintage, saying it was just good to very good depending on producer and terroir. Angelus is a producer that delivered in the very good range with their 2006.

The nose is subtle with just being poured from a freshly opened bottle. Yet, ripe & lush; black currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, anise to some light black licorice, dark chocolate baking bar, milk chocolate tones, dark rich earth, some nicely layered, soft baking spices, hues of sage, dark, withering dark flowers.

The palate is lush with M powdery tannins. Ripe & lush; core of black currants, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, black cherries with over tones of blueberries & strawberries. Anise to some light black licorice, dark chocolate baking bar, milk chocolate notes, understated caramel, some nicely layered, soft baking spices-cinnamon, nutmeg, clove & vanillin, really soft dark spices, mocha powder, hues of sage, dark rich earth dark, dry top soil, just moist clay, sandalwood, fresh tobacco, used leather, light graphite, withering dark flowers & red roses, framed in violets & light lavender, excellent acidity, nice soft tension/struture, well balanced-knitted, perfect elegance and finishes over two-minutes falling on fruits and soft earthiness.

This is still ascending and has 15 plus yrs of good drinking ahead but it is in a good spot today.

It is a solid 94+. The plus with another 3-5 yrs.

Paired with Lamb Salounah Gulf-Style Braised Lamb with Vegetables, served with Butter Rice.

Blind this would fool a number of people off the Right Bank.

@Ek225 — 8 months ago

Frank Kuo

9.2

Color of deep purple, quite inky. Nose of ripe dark fruits like blackberries and cherry, some vanilla, some medicinal strawberry syrup, a bit mineral, a bit minty and grassy. Nose is average. Taste follows the nose with milky vanilla, a bit bittersweet and marginal tannins. 2nd sip shows some fruity notes, and strawberry stands out with some sweetness. Aftertaste shows some more bitterness and milky chocolate. Good milky feeling on the mouth, some more minty flavor, and easy to drink — 3 years ago

Pooneet K

9.2

I know these are built to age but after a number of nights of drinking wonderful older wines we wanted something a bit…fresher tonight. With a 3+ hour decant this definitely fit the bill. Very deep in the glass - almost purple. Quite burgundian but the crunchiness keeps this in Beaujolais. Excellent red fruit. Tannins are quite tight and teeth staining but the finish is lovely with great refreshing acid. Nice pairing with simple roast chicken thighs, and an excellent value <$30. Going to send some to storage. — 5 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.3

Tasted this directly after the Bergstrom I rated and omigosh how I loved it both for similarities to Bergstrom (ripe) and differences (so much baking spice and Vanilla Coke). I dunno. But both this and the Bergstrom are that person you meet who has their shit together and friggin’ look good doing it but, like, that’s not just their Instagram persona, they actually are. When they give you their number and actually text you you’re honored.
I would like these wines’ numbers. Promise not to overtext (maybe but words are my thing) — 6 years ago

Joseph DeBoe

9.6

My number one go to. No comment does it justice — 7 years ago

Jodi Suguitan

9.3

@ J and J‘s place — 7 years ago