Paul K

9.0

Was a little lifeless. Good nose of leather, dried flowers, and dark plum. The pallet was just a bit flat. Also hate wax. Almost lost a finger… — 2 years ago

David McNally

9.2

All the classic graphite, iodine, cassis and green pepper (perhaps a little overwhelmingly so) on the nose. Palate of INTENSE pepper (dare I say Serrano)…but overall light and enjoyable. Lacking some bottom end that may evolve in time? Still feels VERY young. A great 7th anniversary wine. Truth be told, slightly disappointing, though only had a one hour decant… — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Sette Ponti or "seven bridges," refers to 7 bridges crossing the Arno River on the road from Arezzo to Florence. Blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cab Sauv & 10% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in new French oak. Very dark Ruby with pronounced aromas of dark fruits, cigar box & earthy notes, touch of floral citrus. Flavors of black cherry & blackberry with tobacco & spice. Fine tight tannins, long finish ending with cacao, tobacco & mineral spice as the finish builds. Decant now! Will continue to age! — 4 years ago

Neil Cornish

9.7

Voluptuous and powerful with great balance. Tastes even better celebrating the end of the Orange menace — 5 years ago

with Jon

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

The 13 was a brutal tannin vintage when I tasted it at En Premier. The tannins are still bitty but, nothing like they were out of barrel.

The fruit in the 13 shows the difficulty in the vintage. They are duller and it’s really stands out from other vintages and not in a good way.

It’s lean and there is nothing that really draws you in. Fruits are; dark cherries, rhubarb, blackberries, some blueberries@and the strawberries show some ripeness the other do not. Lots of dry earth, dry stones, some herbs, dark withering florals, decent acidity and a uneventful dry finish.

Photos of; Clyde and Alfred at the bar, their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago

Matt Trader

9.2

Valentine's Day 2018. Paired with Roasted Butterflied Lobster Tail, and a Chocolate Truffle Torte. Notes to come:)

- - Brane-Cantenac is a special wine to my wife and I. It is the first Bordeaux Chateaux we ever visited on our honeymoon. It is this little modest estate sitting in the shadow of the oversized Chateaux of Cantenac Brown, but it couldn't be more opposite when you bring the wine into the mix. Classic Margaux nose but less funk and more fruit. Terrior is hard to define, but if you have been somewhere memorable, and have a wine or food from that place.. it's when you have it again and it transports you back that to that place and time that defines that for me. It smells of the cool clean air and morning dew, sunshine, gravel dust from the road we had just driven in on, leather and wood from the barn, and the fresh overtones of fruity wine just beginning fermentation in the production facility that make up the core character of the wine. It is the terrior of Cantenac, and more specifically of Brane-Cantenac.

Paired this with Roasted Butterflied Lobster, and Broccolini, and a little left over for the Chocolate Truffle Torte I made as well for Valentine's Day. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

This 2017 is less opulent, more compact, and tightly coiled compared to the 2016. Because of that, I followed this wine over two days.

On day one, this was tart and tangy…almost steely and too powerful. Day two saw this blossom and expand on the palate. The tart/tangy vibe is still there but it’s accompanied by a deep richness. Everything about this Chardonnay is lemon driven…lemon oil, lemon scone, powdered lemon tart bar, especially on the nose. There is a nervy vein of acidity at the core carrying notes of pineapple and white peach, but never pushed too far to the ripe side. One of those wines that retains freshness with the richness. If popping now, decant 1-2hrs or hold another few years, and enjoy the 2016 before opening this 2017! — 4 years ago

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

8.9

Not among my favorite vintages of this wine but thoroughly agreeable when the food hit the table. — 4 years ago

Paul J

9.7

Wow!! Simply awesome. 1hr+ decant. Dark purple color. Nose of tar and baking spices. Velvet on the palate and chewy. Nice fruit with earth and refinement throughout. Medium plus depth. Medium minus finish is the only fault. Wish I bought more @ $45!! 96.5 but rounding up. Glad I have two more bottles!! — 4 years ago

with Brooke

C. Cole

9.3

Second of two bottles, and… WOW! A perfect balance of fruit and minerals, with a beautiful nose, too. An exceptional bottle. — 5 years ago

Colin

9.2

Most interesting Sauternes I’ve tried. Started smooth with honey and then got more complex with a long finish that changed as it lingered, especially as the bottle got some air. Felt like it was maybe a little too powerful towards the end of my last glass, but I was maybe getting some sediment at that point. All in all an exciting tasting and it left me excited to try some of their other wines. — 6 years ago

Martin Mills

9.2

Smooth as silk, with a hint of vanilla under its lush red fruit surface. At four years, it’s drinking fabulously, hard to see how it could improve and life is too short after all. Sourced in Halifax for about $60, sadly I think they are sold out. — 7 years ago

A Cork in the Road

9.5

Harmonious balance of acid, fruit, alcohol, and tannins. I'm so impressed with the brightness yet lingering finish. Might be one of the top wines I've ever had? I don't want this moment to end. — 8 years ago

Chris

9.2

Really approachable out of the gate, bright red fruit with good length on the palette. — 4 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.2

Mourvèdre Madness Monday. Common threads: tart blackberry, characteristic rustic meatiness/ferrous quality and reduction.

Mataro from Zin master Joel Peterson. Richest, most forward and fullest bodied of the bunch by far. Extracted but balanced. Tannins are plush and wooly. Fresh violets, smoke and licorice. — 4 years ago

with Maura

Paul J

9.4

PnP’d. Very robust nose of flowers and some vanilla. I smelled this the minute the cork came out. Lovely texture and very complex. Chocolate, vanilla, and cherries; some Amarone characteristics. Medium plus finish. — 4 years ago

with Brooke

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The 2017 Haut-Bailly matured in 50% new oak and bottled at the end of April. It has a fragrant bouquet with blackcurrant, wild strawberry, wilted rose petal and light truffle scents emerging with time. This is a less powerful nose than recent vintages, but I appreciate the understated style. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, saturated tannin. There is good acidity here, quite spicy in the mouth with a gentle, if not overly complex finish. It is the kind of Haut-Bailly that will drink comparatively early, though it has the substance to last for 20+ years. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago

Corinne Walters

9.7

At Total Wine tasting 1/19 - sweet, but with a little acid just at the end. Very drinkable, pulls at my tongue, top wine of the tasting — 6 years ago

Michael Genn

9.7

Wine of the week! So balanced and complex. Awesome to taste at the end of the Chateau visit — 8 years ago

Denise Mathias

8.9

2016 from Winc — 8 years ago