1996 Château Pontet-Canet

Château Pontet-Canet is a Fifth Growth Bordeaux located in the Pauillac appellation. The estate dates from the early 18th century, when Jean-Francois de Pontet, the governor of Medoc, bought several vineyards in the area. Later his descendants bought parcels in nearby Canet, and by the mid-19th century the combined estate was considered important enough to be included in the historic 1855 classification. Today the estate is owned by the Tesseron family and it includes 200 acres planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine’s blend is typically 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. About 21,000 cases are produced annually.

Pauillac is Bordeaux’s most famous appellation, thanks to the fact that it is home to three of the region’s fabled first-growth châteaux, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild and Latour. Perched on the left bank of the Gironde River north of the city of Bordeaux, Pauillac is centered around the commune of Pauillac and includes about 3,000 acres of vineyards. The Bordeaux classification of 1855 named 18 classified growths, including the three above mentioned First Growths. Cabernet Sauvignon is the principal grape grown, followed by Merlot. The soil is mostly sandy gravel mixed with marl and iron. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “the textbook Pauillac would tend to have a rich, full-bodied texture, a distinctive bouquet of black currants, licorice and cedary scents, and excellent aging potential.”