Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Chateau Pontet-Canet is a very interesting wine to taste blind. For a start, the untrammelled ripeness and precocity is clearly evident on the nose, so much so that I wrote down "New World" before its identity was revealed. A second bottle is more contained but still "glossy" in style. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated ripe tannins on the entry. The acidity is nicely judged and it is very dense, though it needs more tension and terroir expression. It improves in the glass all the time, mustering more composure and finesse, yet here under blind condition, there was no denying that it is out-classed by some of its peers. That said it remains a great wine from Alfred Tesseron. Tasted January 2014.

– eRobertParker.com, March 2014

5th Growth Pauillac (41hl/ha) [64CS/30M/4CF/1PV]. Deep and sweet and mineral on the nose; rich, firmly but finely tannic wine, ample, dense, muscular but not coarse, vital in acidity; lovely pure, fresh, sweet core of fruit, long and complex and spicy, mouthfilling but with no sense of excess; long, linear, close knit, some new wood dryness, very long and spicy to finish; a clear Pauillac sinew defining a great abundance of fruit, and with a long, warm, vivid black chocolate and blackcurrant purity to finish. An austerity which will need 12-15 years to mellow, but with a wealth of fruit to support it. 2024-40+ [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2011]

The 2010 Pontet-Canet offers a very deep garnet color. Whoa—the nose explodes with a vast array of black fruit preserves and savory nuances: plum preserves, blackcurrant cordial, black cherry coulis and licorice with wafts of dried lavender, melted chocolate, charcuterie, black olives, truffles and camphor plus a hint of sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is completely filled with black fruits, exotic spices and earthy nuances with a firm foundation of ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. So much more expressive and seductive than a lot of 2010s at this stage, and yet it is still incredibly youthful! 100pts LPB
An absolutely amazing wine, from grapes harvested between the end of September and October 17, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has close to 15% natural alcohol. It comes from one of the few biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux, but you are likely to see many more, given the success that Tesseron seems to be having at all levels, both in his vineyards and in his fermentation/winemaking. An astounding, compelling wine with the classic Pauillac nose more often associated with its cross-street neighbor, Mouton-Rothschild, creme de cassis, there are also some violets and other assorted floral notes. The wine has off-the-charts massiveness and intensity but never comes across as heavy, overbearing or astringent. The freshness, laser-like precision, and full-bodied, massive richness and extract are simply remarkable to behold and experience. It is very easy, to become jaded tasting such great wines from a great vintage, but it is really a privilege to taste something as amazing as this. Unfortunately, it needs a good decade of cellaring, and that’s assuming it doesn’t close down over the next few years. This is a 50- to 75-year wine from one of the half-dozen or so most compulsive and obsessive proprietors in all of Bordeaux. Is there anything that proprietor Alfred Tesseron is not doing right? Talk about an estate that is on top of its game! Pontet-Canet’s 2010 is a more structured, tannic and restrained version of their most recent perfect wine, the 2009. Kudos to Pontet-Canet!

Robert Parker (Wine Advocate #205, Feb 2013)

The aromas to this are incredible with blueberry, minerals, dried flowers, and stones. It goes to dried meat and spices. Full body and incredibly integrated with blackberry, licorice, and minerals. There's a wonderful purity to this. It goes on for minutes. The quality of tannins is amazing. Seamless. There's an amazing transparency that shows you all the elements of the wine's unique terrior. Try after 2018.

– jamessuckling.com, November 2013