Video: Tasting at Pontet Canet

[JimHow]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=you ... v3x-VFZySo

[JimHow]

Just got out of a 4 hour visit/lunch with Alfred Tesseron.
I am speechless. I'll let others report.

[Comte Flaneur]

We arrived at Pontet Canet at 11am where we were greeted by Alice who gave us the tour. Alex immediately spotted that there were three national flags flying: the US Stars and Stripes the Canadian maple leaf and British Union Jack, representing the three nationalities on the tour. It was a nice touch and that was perhaps the first inkling of the red carpet treatment that lay ahead.

The wine maker Jean-Michel Comme, appeared as we prepared to start tasting and soon after Alfred appeared too, having just returned from dental surgery, and clearly in some discomfort. It was extraordinarily decent of him not to cry off. We chatted to Jean-Michel and he is extremely passionate about his non- interventionist winemaking philosophy.

We tasted the 2011 first and it was extraordinarily elegant. The 2012 was about as good but was brawnier and more exuberant. The 13 was a good effort for a very difficult vintage. The 14 was vgi, but frankly I found it difficult to analyse the unbottled 14 barrel samples.

Alfred ushered us to his salon where magnums of D-P 2003 were popped. At this point the penny really dropped that we were going to receive the royal treatment. At lunch Alfred was a fine host. He is as knowledgeable as he is savvy. On the carte were listed the 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009 vintages - a dream line up! And a hat-tip to Jim with the 2003 sans doute.

Then Michael who had the previous day distinguished himself by presenting us with Petrus 1934, presented Alfred with a bottle of 1962 Pontet Canet. Alfred was tickled not least because it is his wife's birth year. He then went down to his cellar to dig out one of his own 1962s to taste alongside Michael's. 

It was a splendid lunch. All the wines showed very well I thought, including the two 1962s. The chateau version was slightly better, lacking the oxidative note of the other one, but they both drank very well. My pick was however the 2005.

I am sure I have missed several important details, but it was a visit we will never forget. Alfred is an extraordinary generous and gracious host. 

[mek]

[mek]

Alfred Tesseron: the perfect host. A momentus visit and a glorious lunch.

[Nicklasss]

these conventions are the best way to convince new members to participate on BWE.

welcome aboard mek.

Nic

[DavidG]

It looks like you were all having a great time.

Safe travels home everyone.

[JimHow]

We were treated like royalty, David, we have over 3000 photos and will recount the trip in the days ahead.
It was truly extraordinary.