This has ethereal transparency to it with a fresh, red-berry and cherry nose. Terra-cotta and dried-flower notes. Plums, too. Quite complex. The palate has a very detailed tannin texture with attractive cassis and blueberries that hold very long, fresh and pure. Fruity and fresh. Try from 2023.

Score: 96 James Suckling (JS), JamesSuckling.com, December 2019

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.

Score: 95 Antonio Galloni (AG), Vinous Media (VM), March 2020

Composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Pontet-Canet gives up beautifully fragrant notes of rosehip tea, lilacs, cinnamon stick, cloves, dried leaves and underbrush with a core of kirsch, raspberry coulis, warm plums and red and black currants plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing, minerally and wonderfully elegant with a well-played texture of approachable, plush tannins and a long, fragrant finish. Beautiful. Aging took place in 50% new and 15% in second fill barrels and the remaining 35% in amphorae for 16 months, much of the material for which came from the soil at Pontet-Canet!

Score: 96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown (LPB), The Wine Advocate (WA), March 2020

The 2017 Pontet-Canet offers attractive red berry fruit mixed with cedar and potpourri, underneath which lies subtle aromas of graphite that I would like to see a little more of as it matures in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that render this one of the more approachable vintages in recent years. The cedar-infused black fruit is framed by fine tannins and a harmonious, graphite tinged finish. This Pontet-Canet should offer up to 20 years of drinking pleasure although it will be difficult to resist pulling the cork in its youth.

Score: 93 Neal Martin (NM), Vinous Media (VM), February 2020

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.

Score: 95 Antonio Galloni (AG), The Wine Advocate (WA), March 2020

Deep ruby/purple-hued and based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2017 Chateau Pontet-Canet spent 16 months in a 50% new barrels, 35% in amphora, and the balance in once-used barrels. It´s an exceedingly elegant Pontet-Canet that has textbook Pauillac notes of blackcurrants, unsmoked tobacco, lead pencil shavings, new leather, and flowery incense. It´s not a blockbuster and reminds me slightly of the 2004, yet it has wonderful depth of fruit, ultra-fine tannins, and beautiful purity and elegance. It´s already approachable, but it’s going to be even better with 5-6 years of bottle age and have 20-25 years of prime drinking.

Score: 93 Jeb Dunnuck (JD), JebDunnuck.com (JD), February 2020

A classic 2017, more sculpted but less powerful than the 2014, 2015, 2016. This has elegance and finesse, needs time to be coaxed out of the glass to reveal a complex mix of blue and red fruits, and a lovely brush of Pauillac graphite, eucalyptus, black tea and pencil lead. Harvest September 18 to October 4. The frost of 2017 impacted Pontet Canet less than most places, only affecting the north-facing cooler parts of the vineyard.

Score: 94 Jane Anson (JA), Decanter (DEC), September 2021