2012 Château Pontet-Canet, Cru Classé Pauillac

The charming Pontet-Canet owner, Alfred Tesseron, is always keen to share his philosophies on wine-making, which are almost-entirely focussed on making the wine as pure and expressive of the terroir as possible. This year they have taken this philosophy a stage further, with a portion of the 2012 vintage matured in specifically-designed concrete amphorae that are intended to give the perfect level of lees contact - and therefore a wine with maximum purity. Certainly I know of no wine this vintage to have such a pure and expressive nature. The nose is extraordinary, much more expressive than most, with beautiful Cabernet notes of cassis, violet and blackberry. The palate displays incredibly concentrated fruit and a sensational texture, with tannins that melt in the mouth. There is such a sense energy and verve about this wine, that it is a joy to taste even at this early stage. Such is the charm and balance of this wine, that while it may be approachable at a relatively early stage, it will also age well.