Chateau Pontet Canet 750 ml

There are estates in Bordeaux that make “great wine,” and then there are the rare ones that feel like they’re altering the very trajectory of what great Bordeaux means. Pontet-Canet has spent the last two decades in that second category—a quiet revolution unfolding in Pauillac, driven by horses, compost teas, cover crops, and a kind of biodynamic faith that once drew skepticism but now draws envy.

And the 2022 is a landmark. A wine forged in a heat-struck vintage where the châteaux who survived did so on sheer vineyard intelligence. Few handled the season with more grace than Alfred Tesseron and winemaker Mathieu Bessonnet. Their vines, deeply rooted in the Günzian gravel of Pauillac and farmed biodynamically since 2004, seemed to meet the heat with poise—producing a wine that is both powerful and startlingly fresh, dense yet light on its feet, modern in purity but unmistakably Pontet-Canet in its textural serenity.

The nose alone feels like a slow unfurling: blackcurrant and warm blackberry, violets crushed between the fingers, graphite, cedar shavings, a whiff of cocoa nib, and the faintest lift of mint and licorice. The palate is an architectural thing—broad-shouldered but harmonious, built on perfectly ripe Cabernet Sauvignon and that signature Pontet-Canet silk, the tannins long, elegant, savory, almost mineral in their definition. Despite the vintage’s heat, the wine finishes with remarkable tension and length, leaving behind a trail of dark fruit, earth, and Pauillac gravel.

Technically, everything here reinforces the singularity of the estate: hand-harvesting, optical sorting, amphora-integrated élevage, minimal new oak, and biodynamic rigor practiced at First Growth intensity. This is a Fifth Growth only by historic classification; by reputation, it now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its most prestigious neighbors.

The 2022 Pontet-Canet is not merely a success—it’s one of the wines of the vintage. A bottle that collectors will chase for decades, and one that reminds us how Bordeaux, even in a changing climate, can still deliver wines of profound beauty.

Critical acclaim: 

98–100 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (The Wine Independent)
“Deeply fragrant and arresting, the 2022 Pontet-Canet delivers layers of blackcurrants, warm plums, crushed violets, licorice, graphite, and essence of gravel. The palate is electric—silky, harmonious, and superbly long, with extraordinary purity and freshness for the vintage. A stunning achievement.”

97–99 Points, Wine Advocate (William Kelley)
“The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a brilliant wine in the making—perfumed, vibrant, and beautifully balanced, offering the estate’s hallmark purity of fruit with even greater depth and precision than usual. A wine of real energy, seamless texture, and Pauillac authority.”

96–99 Points, James Suckling
“A wine of tension and finesse with an impressive core of blackberry, cassis, and mineral character. Tannins are long and fine. Remarkable freshness despite the heat of the year. Very Pontet-Canet in its biodynamic clarity.”

Technical Details:
• Appellation: Pauillac, 5ème Grand Cru Classé (1855)
• Farming: Certified biodynamic since 2010; estate horses plow 50%+ of vineyard parcels
• Blend: ~60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot (final assemblage may vary slightly)
• Vine Age: 50+ years average
• Soils: Deep Günzian gravel over limestone
• Harvest: Manual, with optical sorting
• Fermentation: Concrete and oak vats; gentle extraction
• Élevage: A mix of new French oak (50%), one-year barrels, and amphorae
• Alcohol: ~13.5% (final bottling may vary)
• Winemaking Team: Alfred Tesseron (Owner), Mathieu Bessonnet (Technical Director/Winemaker)