Chateau Pontet-Canet 2008

"A candidate for the “wine of the vintage,” Pontet Canet’s 2008 boasts an opaque purple color as well as copious aromas of sweet blueberries, blackberries and black currant fruit intertwined with lead pencil shavings, subtle barbecue smoke and a hint of forest floor. Full-bodied, with fabulous richness, texture and tremendous freshness, this first-growth-like effort is more developed than the uber-powerful 2010. Give it 5-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades. Bravo!"

96 Points

The Wine Advocate

"Smooth, with dense tannins hidden behind the ripe, pure fruit, this important wine shows class and an impeccable balance of fruit and tannin. Rich as well as structured, this is a beautiful wine."

95 Points

Wine Enthusiast

"Deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines black cherry, lavender, potpourri spices and graphite minerality; high-toned and slightly liqueur-like. Then dense, seamless and vibrant in the mouth, with firm acidity giving outstanding energy to the dark fruit, floral and mineral flavors. Really spreads out on the back end and stays a while. Brilliantly delineated, complex wine with superb cut and penetration."

94 Points

International Wine Cellar

"I love the nose of sweet tobacco, currants, minerals, flowers, and stones. Full bodied, with dark chocolate flavors, silky tannins, and beautiful fruit. Long and beautiful, with a succulent finish and a great overall balance. Best in three or four years."

93 Points

James Suckling

"Quite dense, but pure and fresh, with the core of fig, damson plum and mulled cherry fruit already well-defined and the back end of rounded loam and roasted cedar grip fully integrated. The finish is long and powerful. Best from 2013 through 2020."

92 Points

Wine Spectator