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

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

Bestpolar

9.6

Lockdown week 2 January 2021
Bottle number 001096
medaille de bronze concours general agricole Paris 2002 — 6 years ago

Andy Hall

9.5

Number 2 in the wine, cigars and golf weekend. Following the ‘07 Robert Foley is not easy but Vineyard House held it’s own. — 6 years ago

with Jerry

Donald Williams

9.3

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

with Bonnie

Michael Winterbottom

9.4

New world Chablis emulation but with a little more ripe fruit character and butter notes. Butter mochi, ripe green apple, cooked apples. Really tart finish with duality if fruit character. 0 new oak usage in this wine, fermented in used oak barrels and battonage for a year. Not your typical Napa chardonnay by any means but elegant and pretty. Perfumed and pretty. — 8 years ago

James

8.9

Great for backyard grilling! — 8 years ago

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 — 8 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

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

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.2

Super! Absolutely super wine — 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

Jodi Suguitan

9.3

@ J and J‘s place — 7 years ago

Aerin Anbinder

9.2

Really smooth mouthfeel, great legs. — 8 years ago

Neel Master

9.5

Bought in Madrid from owner of a small wine shop who recommended this among all his contact wines. So good -- Tang, tea, and tannin in a high-acid package. Too bad I'll never be able to get any more. — 8 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 — 9 months ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.1

Pine shavings and number 2 pencil. Cardamom, cumin, curry, red fruit on the palate. Black pepper. Resolved tannins. Elegance, but not much energy or enchantment. — 5 years ago

Lars Fasel

8.9

Carne Asada wine. Still nice pop of fresh blue/black fruits and just a bit of that prune/fig action. Solid little number in the low $20s.
— 6 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

Shay A

9.5

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

A true treat to try this next to the Clape Cornas. More fruit forward here with a darker fruit profile...even some blueberries. Heavier mouthfeel than the Clape. Smoked cedar, peppercorn. This wine in 5yrs or so would likely be incredible! Loved this. Thanks @Joe Lucca . — 8 years ago

with Mike, David and 4 others