WTN: Canet Open This Bottle?

[Jenise]

Recently, we needed a celebratory bottle to enjoy with a steak so I chose a '99 Pontet Canet which I only just discovered I have a stash of. I have no reccollection of purchasing it, which is odd since I'm such a fan of this house. Oh well. Popped and poured, the nose was plum, horse sweat and leather. On the palate, more plums, coffee grounds and a bit of chocolate on the finish. Probably at peak and quite enjoyable, but the discovery of the 99's caused me to revisit the rest of my holdings and, with no intention of finishing BOTH bottles, we allowed curiosity to get the best of us...

...and the '97 Pontet Canet joined our table. Why do I still have '97's? Well, because I bought some for, like, $15 ea about five or six years ago and the first two bottles I opened a year apart were emptyish and disappointing, seemingly OTH, so there they've sat. It was either that or toss them. Good thing I didn't toss them--in that odd way that only Bordeaux seems capable of, this wine has come around again. Leaner and brighter than the '99, with redder fruit than the '99 and a cranberryish acidity, it was lively on the palate in a way that accentuated the classic Paulliac cedar and tobacco aromatics. I enjoyed both wines but preferred the '97, and it even more than the 99 was better the next day.

I recently opened the 1996. It's wonderful but still so young that I think it's going to improve more over the next 5-10 years.

About 3-4 years ago, our Bordeaux group had Alfred Tesseron as a guest in NYC for what was as somewhat casual dinner and along with a vertical tasting of a ton of Pontet Canet. I recall Alfred being very positive on his 1997s, which iirc was not in the tasting, and he was even pounding the table on how high he was on his 1997 Les Haut de Pontet Canet.

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting results Jenise. I haven't had either wine in quite a while, but I enjoyed the '99 at one time. The consistently fine performance of Pontet Canet from the mid-90s to now is one of the brightest spots of Bordeaux IMO.

[Jenise]

About 3-4 years ago, our Bordeaux group had Alfred Tesseron as a guest in NYC for what was as somewhat casual dinner and along with a vertical tasting of a ton of Pontet Canet. I recall Alfred being very positive on his 1997s, which iirc was not in the tasting, and he was even pounding the table on how high he was on his 1997 Les Haut de Pontet Canet.

Oh, this is so rewarding to hear! I thought everyone would think me daft for lovin' on that '97. But back when I bought these I'd read a really good report on the wine, hence my purchase (especially since PC is maybe my fave Bdx). I have a few more bottles, and am also guilty of still owning GPL, La Mission and Cos from that vintage.

[Jenise]

Interesting results Jenise. I haven't had either wine in quite a while, but I enjoyed the '99 at one time. The consistently fine performance of Pontet Canet from the mid-90s to now is one of the brightest spots of Bordeaux IMO.

Many others must have come around to that thinking too. It's certainly become trendy--where six, eight years ago I could buy second-hand 66's for $30, those days are over. (I've bought a lot of old, unpopular vintages of PC, and haven't been sorry once.)