Château Pontet-Canet

"For us, working biodynamically, like Chinese medicine, is a holistic approach. It’s not some magic wand, nor is it a gimmick. It’s constant, everyday work that puts us in close touch with the vineyard."
- Alfred Tesseron, Proprietor

Château Pontet-Canet is one of the largest producers in Pauillac, Bordeaux. Production is around 20,000 cases of their grand vin and 20,000 of their second label per annum. It is a classified Fifth Growth, but many argue that it is boasting at least Second Growth wines. There’s a saying “you are the company you keep” and Pontet-Canet is a close neighbor to Château Mouton-Rothschild. The vineyard practices are biodynamic, even down to the use of horses in lieu of tractors. The Château was the first major Bordeaux wine producer to earn its 'AB', the organic certification for France. Grapes are hand picked, and soils are typical of Medoc - well drained, warm and spare.

Proprietor Alfred Tesseron realized the challenges he had with the property, and looked to Michel Rolland as a consulting oenologist. While most wineries look to modernize, Tesseron maintains that everything should be done by hand. They don’t even use computers to assist with production in the cellar or in the vineyard. Old school. As a Fifth Growth, these wines are under-dogs. Here are some vintages worth rooting for: 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2005.

www.pontet-canet.com