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

Henry Fuseler

9.0

12/2025. Bold and smooth. Nice on the palate. Paired well with the dry aged ribeye at Halls Chophouse. — 7 months ago

Anthony Pro

9.0

I haven’t had this wine since the late 2000’s.

As good as I remember it.

#Nostalgia — 4 years ago

eamon gallagher

8.9

Love me some AUS Barossa Shiraz — 5 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.4

Superb complexity and depth. — 8 years ago

Jonathan Pytko

10

Education wine, awesome earth and acid. Still has time in the bottle — 9 years ago

with Andrew

Salvatore Borzi

9.3

Drank for Sean's birthday. Drinking very well. Beautiful, velvety tannins and acidity. Leather, earth, mushroom, red fruits. — 10 years ago

Scott Barber

Wine Educator Meadowood Napa Valley

9.3

This wine is showing why Henschke is at the top of Australian wine. Really good stuff — 10 years ago

Peter Roldan

9.6

Huge, classic Barossa Shiraz--loads of fruit but a bit more balanced now. — 11 years ago

Antonio Gonzalez

9.5

Nice granache syrah — 13 years ago

Sage Shimoda

9.3

My first wine of 2026 is 2012 Amon-Ra by Graetzer Barossa Valley Unfiltered Shiraz. We had a Japanese sukiyaki dish paired with this wine. A flavor that evokes a sense of majestic energy. Smooth texture with a long finish. Nice.

2026年最初のワインは、グレツァー・バロッサ・バレーの2012年アモン・ラ・ノンフィルター・シラーズ。このワインには日本のすき焼きを合わせました。雄大なエネルギーを感じさせる味わい。滑らかな口当たりで余韻が長く続きます。素晴らしい。 — 6 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.8

Dark Ruby with dark berry fruit aromas, vanilla, cedar, baking and herb spice, fruit only from Barossa Valley, aged in French oak. On the palate this wine has complex flavors of blackberry and blueberry with licorice, cacao, oak and vanilla. Fine dusty tannins, peasant mouthfeel, full-bodied, long ending with a nice earthy spice finish. Aging well, good now, has room to age! — 7 months ago

Charlie Frago

9.2

Well balanced. Some fruit, but not overwhelmingly very enjoyable.  — 7 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim. Doesn't show much age.

Beautiful nose with red and black fruits, chocolates, tobacco leaf, vegetables, forest floor, black tea, earth, coffee, herbs, spices, black pepper and wildflowers.

Full bodied and soft with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, cherries, black plums, currants, oak, light chocolates, coffee, mushrooms, licorice, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs and spices.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a gorgeous 24 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Saint Julien. Rich and elegant. Spicy and very complex. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Drinking at its peak now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years.

A great sipping wine that is so much fun to drink by itself.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged in (33% new) French oak barrels for 18 months.

13% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$150. — 9 months ago

Pablo Garcia

9.0

Full of dark fruit, delicious creaminess, long finish.. at its peak I think. I am glad I opened it yesterday. This is the Shiraz — 8 years ago

Manchester Sheldon

9.3

Violets and peppercorns on the nose, it needs some air to open up, dark wood and some earth on the background. — 9 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.5

A classically done wine by a classic producer. This Morgon expression is more on the garden earth/mineral/floral spectrum than the fruit spectrum, which is fine by me. Dense and structured, was singing after an hour in the decanter. — 10 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

8.9

Very nice Aussie Riesling! Lots of citrus and honey notes. Some notes of slate. Very pleasant. — 10 years ago

Pierpaolo Petrassi MW

Master of Wine; Head of Beer, Wine & Spirits Waitrose

9.1

2005. A house favourite and one of the best expressions of New World Riesling which exists. The late release adds both a great story but the required time to make this superb wine really sing. — 11 years ago

Trish Barry

10

Nothing more to say about this wine except for AMAZING!!! — 12 years ago

Ross Bathgate

9.3

Opened after Xmas lunch as we needed a follow up to the Black Shiraz. Did not disappoint. Mature and soft with all the lovely spice and dark fruit of the basket pressed. Lovely. — 6 months ago

Ross Bathgate

9.6

2021 disgorgement. Extraordinary. So vibrant and complex. Perfect for our Xmas lunch with ham and turkey. — 6 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.2

Black fruits, cedar, earth, leather, graphite & tobacco — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A perfect balance between oak and fruit (blackberry) from this Barossa Shiraz. Great winemaking from John Duval who has quite the CV. John was Chief Winemaker at Penfolds from 1986 until 2002 being only the 3rd custodian of Penfolds Grange after Max Schubert (creator of Grange) and Don Ditter. In 2020 this wine received Shiraz of the Year and 99 points from the James Halliday Wine Companion. The product of old vines in the Barossa. Luscious but in balance and overall - delicious. — 8 months ago

Rick Legare

9.1

Delicious — 8 years ago

Jon Ruyle

9.1

Nice. Big fruit, but not as ripe as what I expected from a barossa Shiraz. Evolved with air. Finish only slightly herby. — 8 years ago

with Eugene

David MacMillan

9.5

Amazing wine......drinking with Rob K who just got promoted (again) to Full Prof (yes the spelling of Full is correct).....at this rate he will be Dean of the Faculty by August. Wine is a wild mixture of petroleum, chocolate, toffee, blueberrys.......everlasting finish......for a 2002 this thing is hitting its prime right now — 9 years ago

NM Wilson

9.5

2011 $100- cellar door
fab on own bought 2 — 10 years ago

Paul Taylor

9.1

Thick. Luscious and got plenty of legs. Love this blend — 11 years ago

Jose Lopez

9.0

Lacy and delicate with pronounced blueberry and raspberry tones. A little earth/funk/mustiness rounds this out. Would love to taste this in 10 years. — 11 years ago