Deep purple core, tight ruby rim. Intense bouquet of ripe, mixed black fruit and animal tones. Notes of black truffle developing, damp earth. Palate is full with a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar and sous-bois Surprsingly not the big type; there is some subtle and yet insistent grip on the finish. Defintely it had been a very tannic wine, but these are now softening. Probably the best to drink now, or just hold on for another 2 years. RP94, JS94, WS92,Decanter 95. You don’t need scores, do you?
95 points Decanter
Intense, focused, cedary nose. Super-ripe and sumptuous, highly concentrated, but has spice and vigour to counter the fruit. Massive, pungent; full of life and nuance. Long, vibrant finish. Drink from 2012. (19 points) (11/2010)
94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Upgraded in score over my original rating, which was several points lower, Alfred Tesseron has done a remarkable job since 1994 with Pontet-Canet, which has been hitting first-growth levels since 2003. But the 2000 also shows exceptionally well. In need of another decade of cellaring, this dense purple wine has a classic nose of incense, charcoal, creme de cassis, and subtle new oak. Full-bodied, powerful, still very tannic, and shockingly backward, this is a big, rich wine that has put on weight and seems to need more time than I originally predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035+. (94+) (6/2010)
92 points Wine Spectator
A lovely lead-in of singed cedar and vanilla notes gives way to slightly taut, racy red and black currant fruit flavors that drive nicely through an iron-edged finish. Rather sleek and tightly focused, relying more on minerality than power.—2000 Bordeaux blind retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. (JM, Web-2016)