We have a really special wine of the week for you. Usually we feature terrific “drink anytime” wines, but for a change we have a wine that is a real keeper. The wine is the 2005 Chateau Grand Pontet St Emilion.

It’s a keeper for a couple of reasons: the wine needs aging to reach its best drinkability, and it will just keep getting better for years and years.

This is mostly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc added that give it such great structure and complexity and it is just about as good as Merlot gets! Even more, at about forty-eight dollars it’s a real value for a wine with this much longevity.

Sure, most wines should be enjoyed right away, but there are some that become extraordinary if you can just wait, and periodically we’ll bring them to you.

Well, the early voting has it that the Grand Pontet is one of them so why not start a little collection right now?

Pop the Cork™.

Winemaker's Notes and Comments:

"Sophie Porquet, the same woman who makes the fabulous Joanin-Becot in the Cotes de Castillon, has run this property since 1999. A 35-acre vineyard situated on limestone and sandy/clay soils, it is generally a blend of 70% Merlot and equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The blockbuster 2005, which tastes even better than it did last year, boasts an opaque purple color as well as aromas and flavors of chocolate, espresso roast, melted licorice, and blackberry liqueur. Huge muscle, richness, power, and fruit, a terrific, multilayered texture, and a long, tannic finish are accompanied by a natural alcohol of 14% plus. The dry extract figures are almost off the charts. Give it 5-6 years of bottle age, and consume it over the following 25-30 years. It is a sleeper of the vintage." -Wine Advocate 91-93

"Intense aromas of crushed berry, toasty oak, coconut and milk chocolate lead to a full-bodied palate, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Stylish and voluptuous. Best after 2013."
-Wine Spectator

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently. A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list. Well, don't stop buying it because of that. In fact, you may want to EMAIL us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate. They'll vary. Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly! Now, all that said, here is a summary of links to our suggestions. Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas. If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink.

Our information is well researched. Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication. At the same time, recommendations change. Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

The Wine Experience is not liable or responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information obtained from winexperience.com, wineexp.com or The Wine Experience radio show.

The Wine Experience is intended for adults (over 21 years old). Drink responsibly and don't drink and drive!