2004 Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac 750 ml

Château Pontet-Canet is the legendary Pauillac Fifth Growth that drinks just like a First Growth.

“If any estate understands the impact of tiny details, it is Pontet-Canet,” wrote Bordeaux authority Jane Anson about the estate, whose stunning rise is thanks to the dedication of Alfred Tesseron, the proprietor since 1994.

We recently had the privilege of tasting with him, and he was candid about the casual fanaticism that has led his estate to be regarded alongside the greats of Bordeaux: “I taste every single fermenter,” he told us, with an undimming twinkle in his eye. His commitment to biodynamic farming—even in the face of skepticism from the Bordeaux old-guard—is another reason why Pontet-Canet is inarguably at the top of its game.

Having changed hands only twice over two centuries, Pontet-Canet boasts a rare ownership legacy in Bordeaux. But it was the Tesseron family (of Château Lafon-Rochet in St.-Estèphe) and the leadership of Alfred Tesseron that cemented the château’s place in the Pauillac pantheon. “Throughout history farmers have been laboring, innovating, to get the most fruit possible from their land,” Alfred told us. “All that interests me is what we need to do to get the best quality.”

Pontet-Canet’s summer green-harvesting really paid off in 2004, keeping yields modest and hastening ripening. It’s totally open and enjoyable right now, showing a fleshy, earthy personality.

This is a Bordeaux that stands with the best, bar none.