Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 18th May

The busiest day of the campaign for us so far – as we start with some of the big boys.

BIG NEWS, Château Pontet Canet, which has been on meteoric form since 2005 and firmly stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Châteaux Leoville Las Cases, Cos d’Estournel and Ducru Beaucaillou year-in-year-out and in some vintages competing with the First Growths…

Alfred Tesseron and his team have produced a superb wine in 2015, which we are delighted to have been highly recommended and therefore snapped up 50 cases @ £795.00 IB per case…

The critics’ scores are huge:

95-98 Antonio Galloni  “One of the wines of the vintage” & “A hypothetical combination of the 2010 and the 2009”.
97-98 James Suckling “Very classic Bordeaux. Superb depth and length. Real Bordeaux”
94-96 Neal Martin
96 Decanter
95-97 The Wine Cellar Insider (Jeff Leve)
96-98 Wine Enthusiast  

95-98 Antonio Galloni “One of the wines of the vintage, the 2015 Pontet-Canet oozes class, finesse and pure pedigree. A hypothetical combination of the 2010 (for its dark fruit and tannic structure) and the 2009 (for its voluptuous fruit), the 2015 offers remarkable intensity, power and grace. A host of exotic floral and spice notes wrap around the dark, racy finish. In a word: magnificent! The 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, aged 50% in new oak, 35% in terra cotta amphora and 15% in one year-old barrels”.

97-98 James Suckling “This is very fine and silky with a beautiful vivid blackberry and blueberry character. Super polished tannins. Refined and very, very long. Fabulous harmony to this young wine. Very classic Bordeaux. Superb depth and length. Real Bordeaux”.

94-96 Neal Martin “The 2015 Pontet Canet was tasted on two occasions around two weeks apart and I noticed a superior showing the second time around. This year is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that was picked from 18 September apropos the Merlot and from 28 September for the Cabernet, finishing on 3 October. It is matured in 50% new oak, 35% concrete and 15% one-year-old barrels. It has a pure and perfumed bouquet with small dark cherries, red plum and subtle violet scents, perhaps a little Margaux-like in style, the second showing demonstrating a little more red fruit character. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly grainy texture on the entry. There is nicely judged acidity here, moderate depth, very supple tannin that lend this a silky texture. There is modest weight towards the second half, perhaps spicier than some of its Pauillac peers with an edgy, lightly peppered finish. It is an intriguing and complex, almost mercurial Pontet-Canet, a wine that I suspect will gain more weight during its élevage. Afford this 5-8 years in bottle and you should have a delicious, intellectual Pontet-Canet on your hands. Drink 2022-2045”

96 Decanter “Deep, velvety texture on the palate and wild flowers on the nose; unctuous yet firm with pristine clarity. A great wine by any standards – and the standards of Alfred Tesseron for his biodynamic vineyards and amphora-matured wine are magnificently evident”.