Wine Advocate April, 2008 Kudos to proprietress Sophie Porquet, who also makes the sensational Cotes de Castillon, Joanin-Becot. From this 35-acre vineyard she has fashioned a sensational blend of 70% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Her finest effort since taking over this property in 1999, the 2005 boasts a saturated purple color followed by notes of ripe blackberries, black currants, licorice, incense, chocolate, and espresso. Thick, highly-extracted flavors nearly obscure the elevated tannins. This big, serious, rich claret is meant to last for three decades or more. A great wine for the vintage, it is also a sleeper of the vintage given the fact that this estate remains under Sophie Porquet, the same woman who makes the fabulous Joanin-Becot in the Cotes de Castillon, has run this property since 1999. A 35-acre vineyard situated on limestone and sandy/clay soils, it is generally a blend of 70% Merlot and equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The blockbuster 2005, which tastes even better than it did last year, boasts an opaque purple color as well as aromas and flavors of chocolate, espresso roast, melted licorice, and blackberry liqueur. Huge muscle, richness, power, and fruit, a terrific, multilayered texture, and a long, tannic finish are accompanied by a natural alcohol of 14% plus. The dry extract figures are almost off the charts. Give it 5-6 years of bottle age, and consume it over the following 25-30 years. It is a sleeper of the vintage. (91-93)

Grand Pontet’s 2005 exhibits a dense ruby/purple color, plenty of cassis and black cherry fruit, some licorice and sweet ripe tannin. Drink this medium to full-bodied wine over the next 10-12 years.

Sweet vanilla-edged black cherry. Richly fragrant and inviting. Then fine savoury, mineral depth. Fine tense structure. Dense, aromatic mid palate and long fresh finish. Very young but very well defined. (JH)

Purple. Floral, almost soapy aromas. Sweet and then a bit brutal and exaggerated. Lots of jagged tannin but not fresh fruity acid. Not really St-Émilion – although this may still have been undergoing malolactic fermentation. (JR)