Chateau Pontet Canet 2016 Premium Pauillac Bordeaux Wine Review (5th Growth)

Chateau Pontet Canet is a 5th growth wine in the 1855 Classification system situated in the Pauillac region. It is named after Jean Francois de Pontet, a former owner, who was also the royal governor of the Medoc. After his death, his descendants continued to buy vineyards including a section in the region of Canet. This is how the name of the winery was established. After the vineyard was classified a 5th growth in 1855, an important negociant named Herman Cruse purchased the estate in 1865. The Cruse family owned Pontet-Canet until Guy Tesseron purchased the winery in 1975. The Terrerson family is famous for Cognac but also owned Chateau Lafon Rochet in St. Estephe at that time. The Tesseron family replanted the vineyards and Alfred Tesseron took over management of the estate in 1994. In 2010, Chateau Pontet Canet became the first major Bordeaux wine producer to earn the official Agence Bio (AB) organic certification. Pontet Canet uses horses to walk in the vineyards to turn over the soil. Horses never step in the same place twice so different parts of the soil are aerated. Horses are also more gentle when they churn the soil compared to tractors. Starting with the 2017 vintage, all the grapes destemmed by hand. All grapes are hand sorted. The vineyard is 81-hectares consisting of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The soil is deep gravel with clay and limestone. The wine is vinified in 11, 80 hectoliter, conical-shaped wood vats and 37, 80 hectoliter, concrete tanks. 25% of the harvest is aged in 900-liter amphorae jars and 50% of the harvest is aged in new French oak barrels.The amphorae jars used for aging are produced specifically for use by Chateau Pontet Canet. 25 amphorae jars are used to age Merlot and the remainder is used for Cabernet Sauvignon. The jars used for the Merlot are produced from a combination of limestone and cement. 25 additional jars will be used to age the Cabernet Sauvignon. Those amphorae jars are produced from gravel and cement. The gravel and limestone used to create the jars came from the soil of Pontet Canet. The amphorae jars are said to add more minerality to the wines, along with additional soft textures. On average, the estate produces about 25,000 cases of wine per year. The 2016 vintage was a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc & 2% Petit Verdot. For more information about the winery, please visit their website at https://www.pontet-canet.com/