Tour de Bordeaux - Friday Noon Lunch - Pontet Canet

Our tour and lunch at Pontet Canet was certainly one of the highlights of the trip. And our host and owner Albert Tesseron was one of the truly delightful people that we met.

Pontet Canet is a Grand Cru 5th Growth Château in Pauillac. Pontet Canet sits across the road from Château Mouton Rothschild and "just down the road" from Château Lafitte Rothschild. It has approximately 200 acres of vines and as such, it is one of the largest producing Château in the Medoc, making about 20,000 cases of their first wine Pontet Canet and 20,000 cases of their second wine, Les Hauts de Pontet. The vineyards include 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Although "only" a fifth growth, this is a wine you want to buy and own if you are willing to afford any current Bordeaux wines.  It was certainly one of the best that we tasted on the entire trip. The winery is run by Alfred Tesseron who's family made their money in the Cognac business. They have owned the Château since 1975 and also own Château Lafon-Rochet.

We arrived at the Chateau to note an American Flag flying over the estate. 

I asked why.  "To honor today's guests," said Albert Tesseron; a very good start to our afternoon.

Tesseron took us straight to the vineyard when we arrived.  "This is where it all happens" he said. "Grapes make wine, wine makers don't."  And, he clearly believes that he has one of the best vineyards and Terroir in the world. I would not argue.

Peter listens intently to owner Albert Tesseron 

Tesseron explained that Pontet Canet is the only certified Organic and Bio dynamic vineyard in the Medoc. They have even purchased draft horses and are using horses more and more often in the vineyard. He explained that they have no "carbon footprint"  and the don't pack down the soil like a tractor does since they step in a different place each time. We didn't talk about their methane output. It is interesting, however, that when pressed,  all Bordeaux owners reluctantly admit the regular use of sulfur and I notice everywhere little plastic dispensers hanging in the vineyards, spaced every few plants, that contained a chemical that was an artificial pheromone to disrupt the mating of the European Grape Vine moth. Is that a pesticide?  It isn't sprayed, so maybe not, but the bottom line is that they do what they have to in order to control pests, albeit with organic products.

Tesseron has an amazing long term view of the vineyard and, indeed, the winery. "What is important,"  he said, "is Pontet Canet.  Not me. And not my children. We are just passing by, and it is our responsibility to care for this estate not for ourselves, but for future generations."  It is an important concept and it had a significant impact on my thoughts about our own vineyard.

Someone asked him if he worried when it gets close to harvest and he had another sage-like statement. "I can't worry too much about the grapes, for things I cannot control; when they are not ripe, I go to the cellar, take a bottle of wine, and wait."  I have to remember to do that.

The wine tanks at Pontet Canet.  Oak above and Concrete below.

The tanks at Pontet Canet are all either oak or concrete.  No Stainless. According to Tesseron, the temperature during fermentation is much more consistent with either concrete or oak.  In fact, he said that he took all of the thermometer gauges off the tanks to prevent the cellar workers from tinkering too much with the  temperature of the wine during fermentation. He also refuses to use an optical sorter for sorting grapes prior to fermentation. "It can't work as well as people on the sorting table," he said. 

Albert Tesseron explains the sorting process to David & Liz Berka-White, Peter and Chuck Horn 

We did a tasting in the sorting room; barrel samples of both the 2009 and 2010.  Both are elegant, even as barrel samples, and once again one could argue that "Each vintage is better than the other."

Albert pours the new wines, Patricia looks on

Lunch was spectacular.  Starting with a '99 Tattinger Comptes Champagne en Magnum and appetizers, we then had a Langoustine course,  Veal in a cream sauce, a plate of cheese and desert.

Le Menu

Wines served were all Pontet Canet, 2003, 2000 and 1996.  All great vintages and all great wines.

David lines up a billiard shot

Following lunch we "retired" to the drawing room and had a small glass of exquisite Tesseron Cognac.  It even caused me to change my mind about Cognac.  It was spectacular although probably beyond our budget. David Berka-White then actually shot a few billiard shots with Alfred, the consummate host. We arrived before noon and it was 3PM by the time we left.  What an exceptional time.  Below are photos of what remained of our group (The Erdman's had to leave early) as we left Pontet Canet.  I can only hope that we have an opportunity to return the hospitality. Amazing.

Au revoir,  Merci beaucoup