Chateau Pontet-Canet 5eme Cru Classe, Pauillac 2017

A gorgeous, alluring Pauillac, the 2017 Pontet-Canet is racy and exceptionally polished, with floral top notes that bring out the natural brightness of the red-toned fruit. Super-silky tannins add to the wine's immediacy and sheer allure. The 2017 was the first wine made with the new sorting table. About half the fruit was destemmed by hand. As always, visiting Pontet-Canet is like stepping back into another time, a time in which wines were made much more manually than they are today. Here that means manual punch downs and pump overs, with no electricity. Harvest ran from September 18 through October 4. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Aging was done 50% in new oak, 35% in amphora and 15% in one year-old oak. Tasted three times.

• Drinking Window: 2025 - 2047
• Reviewer Name: Antonio Galloni
• Review Date: March 2020