Jan A

9.6

Leave alone for the next 10+ years — 7 months ago

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. — 9 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium deep ruby , medium wide ruby rim. Slightly more generously fruited , compared to the 2011 . Blackcurrant , cassis, touches of spice , less austere or mineral . Quite round and ripe , rich on the mid palate , but without a lot of tannic structure , balanced acidity. Decent length , with a touch more tobacco and saline quality on the finish. This is drinking well now and will continue to show well over the next 8-10 years or so — 2 years ago

Andrew Belzer

9.0

maraschino cherry, apple wood, all spice, and caramel — 6 years ago

Willem Jan Withagen

8.9

Had this bottle for a long time already. And thought it to be a basic peaty Islay. But it is a very fine rounded, bit sweet and not too agressive. Better get a new one. — 8 years ago

Tim Maloney

9.3

Very peaty color. Sharp to the nose. Sharp, stingy and mineral flavor with a long finish. Not for the weak of heart and fantastic! — 9 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.2

Deep garnet red with lots of bricking on the edges. Light cassis and dark cherries on the nose with some tertiary notes like earthiness and damp leaves. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Lots of complexity with light cassis and dark cherries, a little bit of tomato leaves and earthiness. Very well rounded and integrated with a long finish. This will only keep losing fruit and get earthier with time. Drink now. — 10 years ago

with Sean and India

Marty Winters

9.2

Pleasantly surprised everyone seemed to really feel like these wines were never going to age, but here we are and they are tasting great. Wonder what another 10-15 will show. — 11 years ago

Xavier Valero

9.7

Awesome wine still very much alive. Very effervescent , crisp. Long finish. Can last another 10 years. — 12 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.

I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.

I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.

It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.

Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”

Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.

The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.

The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.

13.4 ABV. Nice.

#TheTwoHourRibcap

This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later. — 8 months ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.2

v20. Very good! Toasty, vanilla nose. Buttery tropical fruit. Long, mellow oak finish. Nicely balanced. Well done! — a year ago

Catherine Leith

9.3

Full flavour of honey and figs. Mellow, but rich. Smooth and complex. Would like more of a finish. — 6 years ago

Frank

9.0

Jason brought for boys golf week. Spainish. 10 yr great. — 7 years ago

Eric Egan

9.3

If the 12 yo was poor, this is gold. Great to find it in a bar for £6 a shot! — 8 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

Wine of the night. This wine had EXCELLENT fruit, and showed NO VISIBLE SIGNS of decline. Great powerful blackberry. I was guessing 01 Stag's Leap or Rutherford. Turns out it was Caymus SS 01, but I was second guessing myself on the year because it was a very purple color into the decanter and showing well. The wine had great vanilla on the front, blackberry on the front, and a more youthful middle and finish with some herb. This wine has 10 years left in it no doubt. Whoever cut this one off at 2017 has no idea. This one literally showed no signs of decline whatsoever. Drink by date 2007 - 2030. — 9 years ago

Steven Morgan

Wine Director Formento's

9.5

Still vibrant and energetic with dark fruit and grip. Has at least 10+ years before it starts losing that intensity — 10 years ago

Daron Watson

9.5

orchard fruit, citrus twists, subtle tropical fruit candy, ginger drops, marcona almond & nougat hints ~ initial mousse w lengthy zing ~ disg: 10/10/14 — 11 years ago

M. Ventre

9.2

This is has definitely come together more since November. — 11 years ago

Omar Jalil

9.7

Great table wine! — 14 years ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.4

This was a very fun experiment. I bought this for 149€ due to the 2013 vintage being terrible. Would this be a waste of money or a bargin? It was a bargin. Classic high end Bordeaux nose with complexity and flavour. Lots of mint. Tailed off quite quickly but still so much to enjoy. The art of wine making should shine through on "off" years as all of the producers make excellent wines in a 09 or 10 vintage. Will definately buy more!
Paired with cod, beans and chorizo — 8 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Referred to as the “Baby Grange,” blend of 51/49 Cab Sauv & Shiraz, aged for 12 months in 36% new American oak, partly in previous-vintage Grange casks. Dark Ruby with aromas of fresh black fruits, complex with sweet spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao, oak and toasty spices. Well balanced with acidity, full firm tannins, long ending with smoky spice, fruit well integrated with oak, drink over next 10 years+, will only get better. Nice! — 9 months ago

GaryWEdwards

9.5

Beautiful tempranillo led wine with 10% graciano from one of the benchmark vintages in the past 25 years. This Gran Reserva has legs for the long run but perfectly approachable now! — a year ago

Maggie Harrison

9.4

1986 vintage. showing well 4/10/24. balanced. medium tannins, medium acid. really lovely. I always thought that this wine needed time. — 2 years ago

DAL 9000

9.1

Thick and dusty and dark cherry sweetness — 7 years ago

Colene Garrison

9.0

Colene had this 8 years ago

Paul J

9.5

Quite lovely on our first night in Portugal for the wife’s birthday! Scored 2 points higher due to the sleeping gentleman in the picture :) #firstfamilyvacation — 8 years ago

with Brooke

Kary Vega

9.3

Just got this. — 10 years ago

Manny Abascal

8.9

Young. Needs another 10 years. — 10 years ago

Dave Marshall

10

2011. A freight train, there's no other description. The nose is a bright, earthy, big fruit, cassis, cedar, wet leaves. Body is still tight, tannic, but the fruit is clearly discernable. The finish drags on and on, Still young, but already fantastic. In 10 years, it will be a masterpiece. Cellar it for at least 5 years. — 11 years ago

Mark Lindzy

9.5

75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano.
Aged 6yrs and 2002 is the current release.
Firm tannins and black/red fruit. Higher acidity than Bosconia, very long finish. — 12 years ago

with Josefa and Rebecca