WTN: Birthday Wine - '04 Pontet Canet with my steak

[David M. Bueker]

Yum! I've seen 2004 called many things (other than really, really good), but this wine is the real deal, with plenty of fruit, depth, power, tannin and aging potential. And it's still around at a fair price. Oh so good.

I'll leave 2005 (and beyond) to those with more money than I. I'm ever so happy drinking this (now and over the next 25 years).

Edited to acknowledge being behind the times:
Sorry my initial comment below as it was 10 years too late. I was referring to the '94. Glad you enjoyed the 04. Had the 04 in the same vertical and it was praised by the majority.


Thanks for the note. I liked this wine during a Pontet Canet vertical last year and was able to source at a decent price. If I recall correctly, the 1994 was Tesseron's (owner/winemaker) first vintage as the winemaker and he was very positive about this particular vintage.

I just received shipment of the 3-pack and will excitedly store away for a while.

Ramon

That's good to hear about the '04 PC, David.

and Happy belated!

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks Bill!

Ready for the Super Bowl down there?

It 's getting crazy here already, David. The Giants are taking over a hotel on the reservation a few miles from me but thankfully most of the madness is up in Scottsdale and the West Valley.

Tix to the Diddy party are only $5k for a table of 6. That gets you a bottle of Cris and VIP "special security". It's probably not enough to keep Paris away though. I might do some drive by inhaling at the Snoop party.

Belated Happy B'Day!

I'm surprised to see I haven't tasted this, left off our usual '04 arrival dinner. Sounds like a good one.

Pontet-Canet is usually a relative bargain among Bordeaux wines. I think I ordered some 2002 vintage on futures but now I'm sorry I didn't order the 2004.
I saw one North Carolina source offering the 2005 at nearly $90 a bottle. Is that fairly typical of 2005 prices?
And happy birthday, David.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks Dale & JC,

Indeed PC has risen in price, which is why it's somewhat fallen off my radar the last few years. The quality is equal or higher than many in its price bracket (from France, the USA, etc.), so I may eventually relent. Indeed $90-$100 is not uncommon for the 2005, at least from what I have seen.

Happy birthday! I have a funny relationship with Pontet-Canet. Sometimes I enjoy it, sometimes I find it pushes over my comfort zone into the "modern" style. I don't see a reference to oak on your note? So could this be another 2001 or 1998 both of which I found very palatable?

-O

[David M. Bueker]

I don't see a reference to oak on your note? So could this be another 2001 or 1998 both of which I found very palatable?

-O

Could be. It's quite fruity, but I didn't get a cherry vanilla aspect (I get that in over-oaky Bordeaux). Might be worth a shot.

Have you had the 2002?

David, how did Laura let youopen anything under 20 yo?

[David M. Bueker]

David, how did Laura let youopen anything under 20 yo?

She didn't drink any of it! (But she did have lots of Rosé Champagne last night!)

Yum! I've seen 2004 called many things (other than really, really good), but this wine is the real deal, with plenty of fruit, depth, power, tannin and aging potential. And it's still around at a fair price. Oh so good.

David, thanks for the note on one of my favorites from 2004. I have not checked in since last September or so, when it was the wine of the night in a solid line-up of 13 similarly-priced Bordeaux selections. I do certainly wish I had more on hand to age for my girls' birthyear.

2004 Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac. This has a very, very nice nose that is deep with mineral, cedar, coffee, framboise, dark caramel and tar oil aromas. It follows that up with solid richness of flavor on the attack, a bigger-styled mid-palate and sweet ripe tannins on the dark espresso roasted finish. It has excellent structure, and just seems to be at an overall higher level than the other wines sampled this night.

-Michael