Kevin Dale

9.5

Great wine. Fresh out the magnum ready to drink. — 11 days ago

Jan de Weerd

9.2

Had to get in the zone as I will have dinner with our Napa Valley Aficionado this week 😊. High quality wine. Just wasn’t able to explore it. Stayed very tight and the oak was hiding (I think) some very promising vibrant fruit. — 3 months ago

with Tammy

Ruud Verhagen

9.2

98+ RP, 96 VINOUS. High scores for this wine. It’s elegant with dark cherry and some soft tannins. Spicy herbs, licorice, leather, black tea, ash/tar and lavender. I found the wine a little shy and not giving enough for such high scores. Maybe it needs more cellartime….
For now 92+ — 7 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Worth a check in at 10 years. Always an outstanding nose. Needed hours of air and still pretty shy, fruit in particular is closed. Paired with NY strip tonight. Have half a case left of this vintage and will check in again in a couple years. — 2 months ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.4

Exceptional. Plum, blackberry and a touch of licorice. Great drinking right now but would be outrageous in 8-10 yrs. — 6 months ago

with Marilea

Shay A

9.5

I brought this to a big 2012 retrospective tasting of Napa Cabernet but wasn’t able to stop by my offsite in time to get a ‘12.

Cork came out terribly. Double decanted 30-45 mins. 100% Cabernet. Sporting a deep purple color even at 15yrs. Just shy of explosive aromatics…ripe red and black fruits, mocha, cocoa powder. Sheer To-Kalon power on the palate with the velvet glove approach…layered dark fruits, black currant, cassis, charcoal and graphite. Mid-palate here has great depth and the finish is beautiful. This has evolved wonderfully. Pop now but no rush. — 7 months ago

Jody Scharf

9.7

Delicious, dark cherries abound, acid holds on to your mouth... not sure peaking now but close.. — 2 months ago

Daniel Ciolek

8.9

Nice - not spectacular. Shy nose of candied cherries and earth. A little tight on opening - fully expressive in about 3 hours. Palate of raspberries, candied cherries, mossy undergrowth and minerals, rounded out by a kick of clove spiciness. Tannins were grippy but not overwhelming. — 5 months ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.4

Dark fruit flavors with some nice floral notes on the nose. Still young but totally drinkable now. — 6 months ago

with Marilea

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. — a year ago