Steve Messinger

9.3

Classic black cherry nose w hint of spice and oak. Great balance rich long finish — a month ago

Steve Haro

9.4

From mag. — 4 months ago

Kevin Kaley

9.4

One of my all time favorites - visited here years ago.
Nice fruit flavor, smooth and very light tannins. Enjoyed with grilled/smoked beef tenderloin and salmon for New Years day dinner with family. A lovely gift from my neighbor a few years back for helping her out. Its nice to have good neighbors! — a year ago

Ryan Guy

9.4

Beautiful nose, ripe plums and blackcherry core, with cranberry and tart cherry. Subtle eucalyptus, tobacco, and olive tapenade. Roses. Racy minerality. Palate delivers ripe blackrasberry pie, clove, cedar box and cranberry. Persistent with balance and freshness. 50% Cabernet franc, 45% merlot, 5% Malbec. Grown on blue clay soils, with famous neighbors of Chevalier Blanc and La Dominique. Drink with short decant or hold. — 2 years ago

Gregory Fulchiero

9.5

Well … shit. With a slight chill this is just sublime. Much better integration of oak than its other Pauillac neighbors. Charcoal ash, subtle pipe tobacco, dark berry compote. Superb. — 2 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I get why people who generally always review this producer as just good consuming it young. This is ten years from birth, eight years in bottle and it is still not at its peak. it has ten years and perhaps more properly stored. Very good tonight but better things ahead. It takes this long and longer for WS Pinots to shine.

The palate is, juicy, ripe, rich, a bit lush; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, purple fruits, hues of blueberries, plum and ripe to dry strawberries with a pomegranate overlay. Then, dry earthiness, top soil, crushed rocks & powdery limestone & chalkiness, dark spices, some black pepper, dry brush, eucalyptus, tree sap, sun tea, black and red cola/licorice, drier tobacco, barrel dust to shavings, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, touch of dry herbs-bay leaves & sage, bright red, pink, blue, purple florals framed in dark slightly withering florals, rain shower acidity, the finish is; well structured & balanced in fruit, earth & flowers, some more tension than I like but will soften & fade nicely in 3-5 years. But, wire to wire really even and stunning. Evolution & integration is good but needs 3-5 years to be its best. Coravin glass.

IMHO, one of the outstanding CA Pinot producers. Walter Hansel gives them a run for the money at their fantastic price point. — 8 months ago

Paul T- Huntington Beach

9.5

Lunch 🥪

K&L notes as follows, Grand Pontet is an interesting property, positioned in the neighborhood of other stars of the appellation such as Châteaux Canon, Beau-Séjour-Bécot and Clos Fourtet. It is, however, a small estate, a mere 14 hectares, and its prices are much better than some of its more prestigious neighbors. In 1980 it was purchased by Gerard and Dominique Bécot, owners of the neighboring Beau-Séjour-Bécot. They have applied the same high standards to both Châteaux in their possession, and their winemaking team crafts Grand Pontet alongside the Beau-Séjour-Bécot wines. Recently purchased in 2021 by Domaines Clarence Dillon (Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, et al.), the property was combined with and incorporated into Château Quintus. Full-bodied and luscious, this Grand Pontet is laden with ripe blackberry fruits, savory tobacco, licorice notes, and ripe, softened tannins. It’s seamless and bold, not shy. It’s going to require something decadent to pair with, such as filet mignon or some other black-tie dish with plenty of flavor and rich umami presence. — 2 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.8

Tried side by side. Tasting these since 2009. These are now classic wines. The vineyards are very close to the tree line of the western slope of the black forest in Baden. Who knows what these clones are? May be the Cluny Monks brought them up from France. These are world class Grand Cru level Pinots and are stupid underpriced. With age they turn into incredible beauties which easily match GranCru Burghs. Will be a 10 in 5 years from now. The Muschelkalk is always lighter in color ethereal and elegant. Black forest thyme, touch crushed marble, wild sour raspberry, hint of black forest morello cherries, cranberry, Mexican lime, green moos. This needs to uncoil over night to really get the potential of this. Quite acidic. 12.5%. A stellar vintage. And sleeping beauty. I would say not approachable for a novice at this point. Lucky for me my neighbors get it. Revisit in 2031. — 2 months ago

Joshua Fisher

9.3

Says ‘Sample’ Nice being neighbors with randy Dunn — a year ago

David Walser

9.6

100 points???…I don’t think so…but very nice. I bought at the Treasury employee store to celebrate the purchase of our home in Saint Helena. We closed on the last day of November and had dinner with our friends and new neighbors. Had side by side with the 2016 BV Private Reserve which I scored 95 points. — a year ago