2007 Ch. Pontet-Canet, Pauillac

It is a heresy severe enough to get you excommunicated, but in our view Pontet-Canet is as good as the First Growths in 2007. Working the vineyards according to organic and even biodynamic principles, dryly humorous owner Alfred Tesseron has produced a 2007 with a lovely pure black fruit nose, ripe but present tannins, a mouth-watering finish and arguably the finest quality fruit in the vintage: silky, luscious, blackberries and plums with oodles of minerals, coffee, cedar and tobacco. Since the outstanding 2004, Pontet-Canet has been a must-have wine every year; in 2007 this is truer than ever.

Light, smooth, polished nose. A certain sweet maltiness and then pretty dry tannins on the finish. Rather rasping and lacking flesh. But it's altogether lowish register, so should probably be drunk sooner than most vintages. Neat enough. And probably riper than many other 2007s.
(Jancis Robinson – www.jancisrobinson.com – Jan 10)

Quite rich and sweet on the nose. Not very Pauillac-like! Good, firm tannins on the palate. A creditable attempt to spin some interest out of this vintage. But pretty low key. Tannins almost too dominant. Watery finish. But there is no shortage of effort here and the wine should have a longer life than many...
(Jancis Robinson – www.jancisrobinson.com – Apr 08)
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Intense deep red, nose still shut in, but shows fine intensity of concentration and very good, plummy middle palate, smoky and quite complex, good length and good in this vintage.
Steven Spurrier