Description

This year’s blend is 54% CS, 35% Merlot, 6% Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. The critics have celebrated the fact it is one of the best St Estephes in 2015. Generous of fruit, lovely lift of perfume and a fair whack of tannins. All signs point to a long, rewarding life in a good cellar.

Now under the ownership of the Cognac family Tesseron their star is sure to rise. The Tesserons took Pontet Canet to a new level of excellence with biodynamic viticulture and attention to detail. Their 45 hectares are broken into 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Merlot plantings are being increased to further push the house style into the plush and silky  sphere.

St-Estephe

The Northern most appellation in the 1885 classification the higher levels of clay makes for denser wines with good fruit richness and plush palate. St-Estephe only has five classified growths but it is a case of quality 0ver quantity.

Cabernet Sauvignon

The noble variety of Bordeaux’s left bank. Firm tannins, a streak of acidity and punctuated by flavours of cassis, violets, spice and leather. The best examples can age for the long term. Although Cabernet does often require blending with Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Shiraz to fix the hole it has in its middle palate.

Merlot

It gets a tough time most of the places it is grown. But in Pomerol and Saint-Emilion Merlot not only dominates but makes some of the best wines in the world. Perfume, silky and plush. Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon season the wines with structure and acid but in some places, like Petrus they are almost not needed.

Cabernet Franc 

Is actually one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon… along with Sauvignon Blanc (oh! The name makes sense now!).  It is most famous for being the third most important grape in quality Bordeaux but also excels in the Loire Valley (where it lived before it went to Bordeaux), especially Chinon and Saumur. The wines are bright red in colour, highlight aromatic with raspberries, rose petals, violets along with tobacco, cassis and some herbal elements. The best examples can live as long as any great wine.

2015

Great Bordeaux is still very much dependant on the vintage. The weather conditions in Bordeaux for the most part were agreeable albiet everything happened quite early. All the quality factors were there and the wines at the en-primeur tastings brought on a lot of excitement with some people comparing it to the 1998, 2005, 2009 and 2010 vintages for quality. The fairest comparisons seem to be 1985 and 2001 both of which have proved to be enjoyable vintages with good longevity. Prices are fair by Bordeaux standards.