Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château Grand-Pontet Grand Cru Classé 2019, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A structured Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé. The 2019 vintage is a blend of 77.5% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec, showing a more classical Right Bank profile with emphasis on structure and finesse rather than overt plushness.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, cassis, dark plum, graphite, cedar, and subtle baking spice. As the wine opens, layers of cocoa, tobacco leaf, and earthy minerality begin to emerge.

Mouthfeel
Medium-to-full bodied with refined structure and beautifully integrated tannins. After extended decanting, the tannins become silky and the palate reveals impressive balance with a superb, polished texture.

Food Pairings
Roast lamb, beef tenderloin, duck breast, mushroom risotto, or aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A refined and structured Saint-Émilion that showcases the elegance of the 2019 vintage. Balanced, layered, and already showing impressive harmony while still capable of further evolution.

Did You Know?
Unlike the fixed 1855 Bordeaux classification, the Saint-Émilion classification is periodically revised, meaning estates can move up or down depending on quality and vineyard performance.

🍷 Personal Pick
A beautifully composed Saint-Émilion with remarkable texture and finesse. After proper decanting (+2hrs), it shows silky tannins and impressive balance, already entering a very enjoyable drinking now window. — 24 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Ist time trying this from the owners of Pontet Canet. Well made with everything in place showing good balance. Everyone seemed to enjoy it — 7 months ago

Paul J

9.5

This was awesome! PnP’d. Very balanced wine. Medium plus depth. Integrated dark blue and black fruit with oak, vanilla, and cedar. Somewhat similar to Pontet Canet. Lovely silky texture and medium plus finish. Exactly how Napa Cab should taste! — 4 years ago

with Brooke

Mike Evans

9.5

Just a brilliant Bordeaux, classic Pauillac and drinking young but well. — 6 days ago

Stuart Pollack

9.6

A beauty. Sweet wine perfect with Thai food. Mix of white fruits all balanced together with peach, apricot, pineapple, and lychee notes. Intensely aromatic nose that could be smelled across the table. — 6 months ago

Paul J

9.7

1hr+ decant. Lovely dark red/purple color. Still has years left in it. Blue fruit with cedar and car exhaust (in a good way!). Well integrated as only Paul can do. So definitive I could guess this blind every time. Love it! Medium plus depth and finish. Would love to try this side by side with Pontet Canet. This rocks!! — a year ago

with Brooke

Paul J

9.5

Neal never stops impressing!!! Would have guessed Bordeaux all the way. 1hr+ decant. Nose of dark cherries, cedar, and menthol. Blue and black fruit on the palate with well integrated alcohol. Medium depth and medium plus finish. Reminds me of Chateau Pontet-Canet but 1/5 of the price. Neal rocks!! — 4 years ago

with Brooke

Paul J

9.6

1hr+ decant. Dark red/purple color. Nose reminds me of Pontet Canet. Refined with nice depth. Didn’t “wow” me but was excellent! — 2 months ago

with Brooke

Thomas Ryan

9.2

2000 for daughters birthday decanted, wonderful immediately and grew better over time sitting in the decanter. Only one bottle left in cellar after this one. — 6 months ago

J. Kim

9.1

The 2016 has rounder fatter fruit and less angular architecture than the 2010, and more intense structure than the 2015. The aroma is a classic old school Pauillac, black fruit, tobacco, cigar box and graphite, on top of leathery barnyard bass notes that one often finds in old Lynch Bages or Pontet Canet. More masculine than feminine with lack of vanilla and minty notes. No overripeness, over-oakiness, over-manipulation this year. Type IV Bordeaux in which the aromatic complexity and the structural intensity is well-matched. Less polish this year but the balance between the presence and the reserve is so well-judged. — 3 years ago