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. — 9 months ago
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
From the great Henri Bonneau, along with Château Rayas, the master of CDP. (He and Jacques Reynaud were actually dear friends). It’s insanely expressive and its ultra intense aromatics leap from the glass.
The complex bouquet is layered with rich black and red fruit, leather saddle, wilted violets and savory herbs. It just floats on the palate with its supreme elegance, caressing texture and weightless intensity. So Burgundian in that sense. The finish is so long, lifted and intense, leaving you craving another sip when its flavors finally do dissipate. 04 Célestins is a total knockout. — 5 years ago
Drank side by side with 2012 Pontet and crushed it. — 6 years ago
Love this wine. Great energy and transparency. Lots going on with white truffle, iodine, blackberry and some blood orange. Vibrant palate. In a great spot now. — 7 years ago
2019 vintage. Sampled via Coravin. Dark-fruited nose. Medium/medium-heavy body. Nose a preamble for the brooding plum, cherry, cassis, blackberry and blueberry. Noticeable tannins afoot but not on Terminator-dodging/avoidance terms. From the property previously owned by the late, great, one and only Robin Williams. New owners Château Pontet-Canet BDX peeps named the new venture after the middle names of Robin Williams’ children. Cool. Structure definitely hovering with that dark fruit and extremely well made effort. Not gratuitous in any way. Need to stash a bottle and reconvene in 2035. Not your usual, high-end, Napa cab. 03.12.25. — a year ago

Flash decant this time as usually I open up the “Reynaud wines” a few hours in advance. We started drinking slowly but right away the aromas were very expressive and they opened up slowly to reveal multiple layers of red fruit, spices. I can discern some Grenache to my Burgundian palate but brely, the wine is powerful but approchable at this toung stage, nice freshness and great texture of tannins with an impressive length for a “vin de pays”. 90-91
Ouvert et donné un petit coup de carafe sans ménagement, nous avons commencé à le boire lentement. D’habitude j’ouvre plusieurs heures à l’avance les “vins Reynaud”. Un nez typé avec cette signature tellement envoûtante, expressif dès le départ et a continué à s’ouvrir avec le temps, des fruits rouges de toutes sortes, des épices, plusieurs couches d’arômes s’y développent. La bouche est très fraîche, une trace de Grenache à peine est décelée à mon palais très Bourguignon, le vin est assez puissant mais avec une telle fraîcheur et texture de tannins qui en font un bel ensemble très approchable, même s’il est encore très jeune. Une longueur impressionnante pour le rang et toujours un rapport qualité/prix fort avantageux. 90-91 — 5 years ago
Dark fruits, intensity and sugar. — 7 years ago
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. — 4 months ago
This is excellent in showing off that spicy yet lifted Syrah profile — a year ago
Last night we opened the 2019 Château Sérilhan Saint-Estèphe Cru Bourgeois Supérior Médoc. Left Bank Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot by Doctor Alain Reynaud.
On the nose there is black cherry, blackberry, black raspberry, black currant, mint, licorice, pencil shavings, cedar and earth.
On the palate there is black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, black currant, green bell pepper, licorice, menthol, graphite and earth.
This is a beautiful medium to full bodied wine with a smooth succulent mouthfeel medium to medium+ acidity and medium + fine grained tannins that leaves you with a medium + to long dark fruit rich earth finish. Enjoy yourselves this weekend, have some fine wines with family and friends and please stay healthy and safe. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 4 years ago
PnP’d. Should have given an hour decant. Medium red color. Is a cross between Pinot, Cab, and a Spanish red. Mix the Aubert Pinot I had the other night and Pontet Canet and you get close. Bright red fruit with plenty of oak. Perfect drinking age!! What a great gift and surprise!! Thanks Malcolm! — 5 years ago
One of the most memorable wines ever. First thing I noticed was the color, very pale garnet. Spice and wet dirt on the nose, very little fruit. The palate was amazing: rusted iron and sandalwood. Each sip was more and more compelling. A wine that you want to drink slowly and to savor. Only 1 bottle, unfortunately. — 5 years ago
No better quality/ price — 6 years ago
Wedged in between the monumental 2005 and 2007 this wine is more delicate but again a true Rayas. Perfect balance, strong kirsch tones and this endless perfume which comes with a sexy Rayas. Reynaud and Bonneau two opposite wines, both great, for me forget all the rest in red chateauneuf. What a joy and privilege to be allowed to drink this. — 8 years ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2010 vintage. Decanted and tasted immediately. Lean and mean. Medium body but only because of the concentration. Dark fruits and plenty of espresso influence evident. Slightly less delicate than other P-C efforts fortunate enuff to taste. Tighter than the outstanding 2009 upon initial impressions. Needed more time to coddle this one but couldn't carve it out. ***EDIT 6.27.26***Delectable was having a moment during the review process and couldn't access previous wines/research properly, so went with memory. Ha so bad. It WASN'T the 2009 I thought I previously had. Actually confused vintages and had this exact 2010 vintage on 12.5.25 (9.6) with enough time to appreciate properly. The 2010 quickie was still nice at 9.4 but not nearly as good as being 9.6 romanced properly. 6.20.26. — 10 days ago