Château Pontet-Canet 2016

Tasting

Colour: Deep, intense garnet-red with purple highlights.

Nose: Expressive and refined. Dominated by ripe black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry), black cherry, with floral nuances (violet), sweet spices (pepper, liquorice), smoky touches, cedar and graphite. Perfectly integrated oak, adding subtle toasty notes.

Palate: Full, silky attack. Velvety, dense texture, with very fine, ripe tannins providing impressive structure. Ample, harmonious mid-palate, revealing pure, concentrated fruit underpinned by perfectly controlled acidity. The finish is long, straightforward and persistent, marked by mineral, spicy and slightly smoky notes.

Review

- Wine Advocate: 98/100

- Vinous (Neal Martin): 96/100

- James Suckling: 100/100

Suggested pairings

Ideal with grilled or roasted red meats (entrecôte, rib of beef, fillet of beef en croûte), roast lamb (leg of lamb, rack of lamb) or simmered lamb (lamb tajine with sweet spices, spring navarin). Perfect with roast poultry (guinea fowl, duck) or game birds (pheasant, partridge), and game birds (venison, wild boar). Superb with richly flavoured stews (boeuf bourguignon, daube provençale) and mature hard cheeses (Comté vieux, Parmesan, vieux Cantal) or slightly blue-veined cheeses (Fourme d'Ambert, Bleu d'Auvergne).