JCP Maltus, Château Pontet Labrie, 2019
JCP Maltus, Château Pontet Labrie, 2019
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Pontet Labrie is a single vineyard Grand Cru Saint-Émilion, owned by one of the original Bordeaux ‘garagistes’, 100-point winemaker Jonathan Maltus OBE. Jonathan has evolved his winemaking philosophy pioneering a Burgundian approach, unusual in Bordeaux, focussing on small production, single site cuvées (rather than blending his various blocks, like everyone else). In 2014 he approached us as he owned a single 1ha of vines on a prime site of the prestigious plateau of Saint-Émilion, with vines pre-dating the frost of 1957, which he believed had the potential to be the Merlot-based equivalent to his famous Le Dôme.
The six vintages produced have attracted excellent 94/96+ point reviews and, given the exceptionally limited production, are immediately collector’s items, even featuring in the Robb Report’s “Hard To Get” feature on the world’s most elusive bottles. Pontet Labrie has been produced across the greatest six vintage run in Bordeaux’ history – 2015-2020, every year a winner and showing the individual character one would expect from a single vineyard wine. In August 2022 Prince Robert of Luxembourg’s Domaine Clarence Dillon (owner of First Growth Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion) bought the other 14ha of the vineyard from the owner, convinced of the quality of the terroir. This only helps to enhance the allure of Pontet Labrie.
The vineyard produces a maximum 300 cases of this exceptional Merlot/Cabernet Franc and allocations are available exclusively through Honest Grapes.
Read about a Club Pontet Labrie membership.
What the critics say:
"Based on an 80/20 split of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from the upper limestone plateau, the 2019 Château Pontet Labrie offers a more reticent, tight, almost closed style that slowly gives up notes of savory darker cherries, mulberries, iron, crushed stone, and graphite. It's beautiful on the palate, with medium to full-bodied richness and ripe yet present tannins, yet this beauty deserves at least 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to evolve for upwards of two decades."
"The 2019 Pontet Labrie has really come together beautifully with élévage. Rich, powerful and explosive, the 2019 possesses tremendous depth and resonance from start to finish. Dark cherry, spice, new leather, licorice and scorched earth lend gorgeous complexity. En primeur, the richness of the Merlot drove the balance, but over time the Franc has caught up, resulting in a super-expressive Saint Émilion that captures the essence of Jonathan Maltus’ style."
