1989 Château Pontet-Canet
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Tasting notes
The 1989 Pontet Canet is a vintage that I cannot remember ever drinking. It marks the debut of current winemaker Jean-Michel Comme, and Alfred Tesseron mentioned that it was the first year when a small amount of green harvesting was done. It is quite deep in color with a little more turbidity than others, and the bouquet is actually very respectable, featuring old-school black fruit, cedar and pain grillé , not complex but still fresh. The palate is medium-bodied with a rustic opening and sharp acidity, and slightly bitter in the mouth, leading to a spicy finish. The aromatics appear to have matured better. There is little point in cellaring longer, though well-stored bottles will hang on in there. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château .
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
A somewhat disjointed wine with impressive component parts but still somewhat ruggedly thrown together, with the tannins dry and all too noticeable. Nevertheless, the color remains a healthy ruby/garnet, and the smoky nose of melted licorice intermixed with creme de cassis, earth, and dried herbs is alluring. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, moderately tannic, but somewhat dry in the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2015. Last tasted, 9/02.
A vibrant '89 with a wonderful fresh fruit character. Dark-ruby color. Very fresh aromas of blackberries and plums. Full-bodied and packed to the brim with fruit, adding fine yet slightly green tannins. Hard to resist now.--1989 Bordeaux horizontal. Best after 2002.James Suckling, Wine Spectator 1999
About the producer
Ch. Pontet-Canet is one of Pauillac’s top estates, and one of its largest at 81 hectares. Although classified as a Fifth Growth, these days it consistently competes with the First Growths