Chateau Pontet-Canet 2023 (100 points) [in bond ex vat] (6 x 75cl) en primeur landing Spring 2026

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

6 x 75cl * Organic * Biodynamic *13.0% ABV * Bordeaux, France

Chateau Pontet-Canet is one of Pauillac’s top estate and one of its largest at 81 hectares, neighbours include Mouton Rothschild and Lafite Rothschild. Although classified as a Fifth Growth, these days it consistently competes with the First Growths. The origins of Pontet-Canet can be traced back to 1725 when it was purchased by Jean-Francois Pontet. Since then, the estate has only had two other owners, the most recent of which is the Tesserons family, who made their fortune as a Cognac producer and merchant, before expanding to Bordeaux and buying Pontet-Canet in 1975. 

Both organic and biodynamic, this wine has a voluptuous and magnificent structure. Richly layered, with seductive ripe fruit. The quality and texture of the brambled blackberries, cassis and bilberries is striking. Integrated tannins add to the suppleness, but the richness is balanced by brambly fruit and herbs – a highly complex and layered experience.

Taurus Wines sourced this wine from our negociant in Bordeaux. It has been kept in ideal cellar conditions and offers the perfect provenance.

Pair with classic roast beef, game, lamb roasts, stews, or cheeses such as Camembert, Brie or Roquefort. Decant and filter carefully to remove sediment and leave for 2-3 hours. Serve at 16-17 degrees.

Drinking window: 2029 - 2050

"A wine to convince you of the quality and ripeness of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pauillac in this 2023 vintage, showcasing superbly supple tannins, great balance, depth and savoury blue and black fruit character, bitter cocoa bean, freshly cut herbs, black tea, fennel, all vivid and with purity of character. There is density here but it is not overt, with heightened raspberry leaf, peony and violet aromatics. Vinified in the newly-completed section of the cellars, with sunken qveri-style cement vats (and egg-shaped wooden vats coming for the 2024 vintage). 50% new oak for ageing, with 35% amphora and 15% one year old barrels. One of the wines of the vintage. New lighter bottle as of the 2022 around 490g, down from 815g in the past, 30 tonnes of CO2 saved just in terms of production." 98-100 Points, Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

"The 2023 Pontet-Canet is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of juicy blueberries, black cherries, and blackcurrant jelly spill from the glass, giving way to nuances of violets, black truffle, fertile loam, and mossy tree bark with a hint of cardamom. The medium-bodied palate is so, so silky, elegant, and fine, with perfumed black and blue fruit layers and beautiful tension, finishing long with lots of shimmery mineral and floral sparkles. The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 50% new oak, 35% amphorae, and 15% used barrels. With an alcohol this year of just 13.8%, this is a beautifully poised, tightly packed powerhouse that promises to keep the firework displays bedazzling collectors for many years to come. Drink 2030 - 2060." 97-99 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent (April 2024)

"With the 2023 vintage, this estate has crafted a wine of unprecedented aromatic intensity and precision that marks a significant evolution. Revealing an elegant, fresh bouquet of mulberries and cassis mingled with notions of violets, gentian and menthol, the 2023 Pontet-Canet is medium to full-bodied, seamless and multidimensional, with a pure and precise core of fruit that's framed by ultra-refined tannins and a powerful but controlled profile, concluding with long, mineral, licorice-inflected finish. It's the result of more daring harvest decisions than in previous years: By picking the Merlot earlier to highlight fresh, fruity notes rather than baked, sun-kissed flavors and simultaneously delaying the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest until after September 28 to refine tannins, the 2023 Pontet-Canet marks a significant evolution at this renowned estate. At this early stage, its élevage appears to be more discreet, too. This wine, which I'd be delighted to own, is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, matured in 50% new oak barrels, 35% amphorae and 15% once-used barrels." 96-98 Points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate