Chateau Pontet-Canet 2008

Professional Ratings

• 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  A candidate for the “wine of the vintage,” Pontet Canet’s 2008 boasts an opaque purple color as well as copious aromas of sweet blueberries, blackberries and black currant fruit intertwined with lead pencil shavings, subtle barbecue smoke and a hint of forest floor. Full-bodied, with fabulous richness, texture and tremendous freshness, this first-growth-like effort is more developed than the uber-powerful 2010. Give it 5-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades. Bravo!
• 96 Jeb Dunnuck
  Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac lead pencil notes all emerge from this still youthful, full-bodied, and pure 2008 that’s 4-5 years away from maturity and will keep for 30+ years. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for another awesome wine that ranks up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.
• 95 Wine Enthusiast
  Smooth, with dense tannins hidden behind the ripe, pure fruit, this important wine shows class and an impeccable balance of fruit and tannin. Rich as well as structured, this is a beautiful wine.
• 93 James Suckling
  I love the nose of sweet tobacco, currants, minerals, flowers, and stones. Full bodied, with dark chocolate flavors, silky tannins, and beautiful fruit. Long and beautiful, with a succulent finish and a great overall balance. Best in three or four years.
• 92 Wine Spectator
  Quite dense, but pure and fresh, with the core of fig, damson plum and mulled cherry fruit already well-defined and the back end of rounded loam and roasted cedar grip fully integrated. The finish is long and powerful. Best from 2013 through 2020.