100 points? what's behind a Perfect Wine Score at Chateau Pontet-Canet

 What does 100 points mean to you - perfection, excellence or just a number of another prejudiced system?  In the world of wines, full-marks could translate to “extraordinary” in many people’s opinion, or pure “subjectivity” of one’s preferential wine styles.  However extreme that
can be, scores serve practical purposes and will remain for wine, so they do and will for education systems. 

Pontet-Canet RP100 Master Class

When it came to a tasting event titled “Pontet Canet RP100 Master Class” I was simply keen to find out if the wines lived up to the expectation, whereas Pontet-Canet, a fifth-growth of the famous 1855 Classification, its wines have been rated in recent years consistently high as first and second growths’ and was named second only after DRC at Power 100’s by fine wine exchange Liv-ex in 2012. 

The tasting was hosted by Melanie Tesseron, co-owner of Chateau Pontet-Canet, a gracious lady.  Her wine was apparently the spotlight (wine list and tasting notes to follow), but no less was the estate’s endeavour in biodynamics that constituted main part of the talk and discussion on the day.  In relations to that, I did some research too.

To begin with the end, I have discovered much more than the wines themselves - far exceeded my expectation - There are great people behind great wines: Bold, Persistent, Committed, yet Open-minded.

A horse working around Pontet-Canet

Alfred Tesseron, Pontet-Canet’s President and Melanie’s uncle, boldly decided to go biodynamic in 2004, an idea not popular in Bordeaux back then and not even now.  Some think biodynamic is a gimmick – cow dung fertiliser, grape picking with reference to lunar calendar, horse-ploughing, etc - and Bordeaux doesn’t need that.  Well, back to five or ten years ago, a biodynamic wine did not appeal me more than a “regular” one, but it is the opposite today.  Are Bordeaux winemakers too arrogant in reliance on its world class frame?  Biodynamics costs money, affects profit obviously – but it’s happening far more vigorous at Burgundy and Lorie Valley, like a trend.  The only fair, I think, and biggest argument is the weather, Atlantic climate and rains bring extra obstacles.  The stake will be high if you are not allowed to spray chemically for prevention or killing of mildew – an every Bordeaux vigneron’s nightmare.  This may be particular true if you own a big vineyard (compared to Burgundy’s) and is renowned as a quality Chateau such as Pontet-Canet, since 1855.  It earned its official Biodyvin certificate in 2010 - the first grand cru classé who did that against all odds.

Biodynamics, a holistic approach

Certification did not happen automatically.  It took time, effort - the persistence - not only money, to achieve substantial result.  Biodynamics is a holistic farming approach, like Chinese medicine as Alfred Tesseron described.  It looks at all aspects affecting the grapes, its roots, vines, fertiliser, the soil, pressure on soil, diseases, forces & cycles in nature and etc.  To produce good wine and to show the characteristic of the terroir, you have to go back to the soils and nature, but chemicals destroyed it, Jean-Michel Comme, the technical director believed.  Biodynamic restores life, but not in one day, and you don’t see all possible problems and be able to deal with them in a click.  Pontet-Canet’s journey of biodynamics is not without setback.  In 2007, a rainy year, Alfred Tesseron and Jean-Michel Comme decided to spray chemicals to combat the mildew, or there could be a total loss of crops.  That is a decision they regret later.  Not only the soil was “affected” but it also meant they had to spend another three year at minimum if they wanted to be awarded Biodyvin.  Then, you either abandon the whole idea, or carry on.  They chose the latter, devastated but not giving up, only enlightened, Comme realised it’s a lesson learnt: to see diseases as warning of problems.

Melanie Tesseron, Alfred Tesseron, Jean-Michel
Comme (L-R), masterminds of Pontet-Canet

During the class, Melanie explained, “to respect the wine, you must first respect the vine” - a firm commitment of going back to basic, believing good wine starts from the vineyard.  She told us how Jean-Michel Comme treated the entire vineyard; he knew every single plot of the vines, (Melanie sounded as if he knew a person), visited the vineyard every day, and he resided in the Chateau.  Known to many, Comme was the inspiration behind the estate’s biodynamic, I think his commitment to what entrusted speaks itself.  And it’s interesting to learn that Alfred Tesseron had dreamed of being a farmer, not a fireman not a policeman, as a kid.  With the pretty money earned from wines, he considered investing in the staple, where the working horses live, not in face-lifting the buildings and the Chateau.  When was the time these people not thinking about making better wines?

Alfred Tesseron thinking to invest on staples

While Alfred Tesseron embraces biodynamics, he has been open-minded in other wine making practices.  He hired Michel Rolland as consultant, a winemaker who is not convinced of biodynamic and is better known for his work at Right Bank garagistes (garage wine), a cult wine, a style over substance, as some commentators described.  However, what Tesseron wanted was an alternative view, an external eye to Pontet-Canet; he did not blindly follow every advice given.  He also tried using amphorae (a clay jar, its history be traced back to ancient Greek) and concrete eggs vat (an innovative equipment at a time) in vinification.  When he thought the concrete eggs were “less good,” he simply admit­ted it.

Melanie Tesseron, "to respect the wine, you must first respect the vine"

Now more for the wines, the master class featured Pontet-Canet’s six vintages of 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009.  The last one 2009 got 100 points of Robert Parker’s.

Melanie led the class to taste them from the oldest to youngest, quite different from other tastings, which started usually the other way around, but then, why not when every wine is unique!

Master Class: Pontet-Canet six vintages 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009

1996 – Most enjoyable one on the day.  Medium ruby, crimson colour; elegant cedar, leather and tobacco, then dark fruit came to the nose; pepper, leather and liquorice with dark berries surfacing on to the palate; good acidity and lot of tannins, a velvety one.  Fragrances and flavours evolved and lingered in a structured and balanced way, from grapes harvested 18 years ago.

2000 – My second best of wine-of-the-day.  Medium ruby, slight garnet with orange rim; similar but more prominent fruit on nose and palate compared to 1996’s; blackberries, leather, dry herbs, and more mint and spices gradually came to the mouth.  Outstanding.

2001 – Ruby crimson with orange rim. Soft fresh berries, leather, earthy mushroom aromas; cherry, mulberry, a touch of spice with chewy tannins on palate.  Flavours developed and surfaced very slowly and nicely.

2003 – Medium ruby red; ripe juicy red berries and hint of leather on noise and palate with gritty tannin.  Not the year of best weather for grapes but it’s still delicious.

2006 – Ruby red with thin clear rim; mushroom, liquorice and ripe dark cherry on nose; plentiful of blackberry and supple dark fruit on palate, coupled with spices and firm tannins.

2009 – Loved this one, a keeper, only be better in 5 or 10 more years.  Very concentrated flavours; they exploded, not in a forceful way.  Darker ruby in colour; mushroom, blackberries, earthy beetroot, leather rushed into the nose; layers of liquorice, aniseed, berry, leather intertwined, intense and fused on palate; tannins was very firm but not grainy.  Everything lingered for a long while.  Excellent wine! 

That is not the end of my diary.  As a participant, I later received a personal note from Melanie, welcoming my visit to Chateau Pontet-Canet if I am travelling to France. Lovely!  That again reminded me how and why their wines impressed people.

Melanie Tesseron (right), staunch believer &.successful practitioner of Biodynamics, well proven via great wines and great people

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