En primeur offer: 2020 Château Grand Pontet £217 per dozen in bond
An unassuming property in St-Émilion, Château Grand Pontet has just been purchased by Haut-Brion (or, to be precise, Domaines Clarence Dillon), possibly with the intention of incorporating it into their flagship St-Émilion estate, Quintus. Wine writers like Stephen Brook have previously commented that the terroir at Grand Pontet is exceptional. At just £217 per dozen bottles in bond (compared 2020 Quintus which opened at £930), this may be your last chance to purchase this piece of vinous history at this price, or indeed under this name.
The 2020 received a number of excellent tasting notes from the critics (all, presumably, unaware of the impending purchase by Haut-Brion at the time). Many of the notes point to something more serious than suggested by the price. Jancis Robinson is uncharacteristically enthusiastic, using terms like 'serious stuff' (17 points) and 'exciting' and Galloni awards 92-94 points. Neal Martin sums up by saying "this is worth seeking out" and we recommend that you do!
Offered en primeur, landing spring 2023.
Producer Profile
Château Grand Pontet (now owned by Haut-Brion)
Grand-Pontet has belonged to the Pourquet-Becot family since 1980. The superb limestone terroir is on a plateau on the western side of Saint-Émilion, near to Beausejour Becot, Canon and Clos Fourtet. The vineyard comprises 12.72 hectares of vines, averaging 42 years of age, planted to Merlot (70%), Cabernet Franc (17.5%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7.5%) and Malbec (5%).
| RED | 2020 | 4 cases | Château Grand Pontet | 75cl | £260 per case of 12 | Château Grand Pontet 2020 / 4 cases / 75cl £260 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"Very deep purplish crimson. Rich nose with interesting layers. Serious stuff with great juiciness initially but with the build to last quite a while. Really bright fruit. Exciting wine. Long. 17 points" jancisrobinson.com------"The 2020 Grand Pontet has a more floral bouquet than previous years, pressed violets and iris petals complementing the blackberry and blueberry fruit; this displays commendable precision. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and crisp acidity. A decidedly more classic Grand-Pontet compared to recent vintages, conveying commendable salinity toward the finish. This is worth seeking out. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, vinous.com------"Lots of juicy plum and darker berry fruits as well as chocolaty oak and rocking minerality emerge from the 2020 Château Grand-Pontet, a medium to full-bodied, rich, sexy Saint-Emilion. One bottle of this showed much more firm tannins, yet a second bottle was a noticeable step up, with a ripe, seamless texture and beautiful mid-palate depth. It’s certainly going to be an outstanding wine, and if the final wine is closer to the top bottle, it should eclipse this rating. The blend is 77% Merlot with 17% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec. 91-93 points" jebdunnock.com------"The 2020 Grand-Pontet is a rich, heady Saint-Émilion. Black cherry jam, chocolate, spice, licorice, menthol, dried herbs and espresso resonate in the glass. The 2020 is a big wine with huge fruit and equally imposing tannins that need time to soften. There is certainly quite a bit to look forward to. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, vinous.com |
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