2008 Pontet Canet Pauillac (Slightly scratched & marked labels)

96 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac lead pencil notes all emerge from this still youthful, full-bodied, and pure 2008 that’s 4-5 years away from maturity and will keep for 30+ years. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for another awesome wine that ranks up with the crème de la crème of the vintage." (2/28/2019)

95 Points from Decanter Magazine: "Oh, I love this! This is Pauillac distilled, flirting on the edge of ripeness with brambly cassis and dark chocolate. This is just the right mix of open and closed for me, layered and confident but not overdone. It has feathery, well brushed tannins, and firm, generous black fruits. A great Pauillac which is just starting to rev its engine. Again, it's not as concentrated and long-living as in the ripest vintages, but it's a real success with decades ahead of it." (12/31/2017)

95 Points and a "Cellar Selection" designation from Wine Enthusiast Magazine: "Smooth, with dense tannins hidden behind the ripe, pure fruit, this important wine shows class and an impeccable balance of fruit and tannin. Rich as well as structured, this is a beautiful wine." (4/1/2011)

93 Points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. The Pontet-Canet 2008 has a lovely, extravagant bouquet with scents of blackberry, macerated dark cherries, graphite and sous-bois. It is very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple, almost fleshy entry with seamless tannins. The oak is well integrated with a pleasing citric edge. Not a “classic” Pauillac, a little more voluptuous than others...more like a 2009 in many ways. But it is complex and demonstrates very good persistency in the mouth. Tasted January 2012." (4/30/2012)

92 Points Vinous: "A meeting by chance with the 2008 Pontet-Canet prior to a small tasting of South African wines reminded me what a lovely wine this is. There is plenty of black fruit on the nose laced with graphite. The cedar component is less prominent than the previous bottled tasting. The palate is medium-bodied, a little drier and more austere than recent vintages, yet clearly well balanced with a surfeit of freshness on the slightly herbaceous finish. Drinking perfectly now, this will give another two decades of drinking pleasure. Tasted at a merchant in London." (11/2019)

92 Points from Wine Spectator: "Quite dense, but pure and fresh, with the core of fig, damson plum and mulled cherry fruit already well-defined, and the back end of rounded loam and roasted cedar grip fully integrated. The finish is long and powerful. Best from 2013 through 2020. 22,080 cases made." (4/30/2011)