France

Vieux Chateau Certan

Vieux Chateau Certan Pomerol

Bordeaux

Pomerol

A blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with a yield of 35 hl/ha, the 2022 Vieux Chateau Certan is deep garnet-purple in color. After a swirl or two, notes of black cherry preserves, black raspberries, and juicy black plums rocket out of the glass, followed by suggestions of star anise, lilacs, rose oil, and truffles with a waft of fertile loam. The full-bodied palate slowly grows in the mouth with layers of emerging mineral, floral, and exotic spice nuances intertwined with concentrated black fruits, supported by super-plush tannins and perfectly knit freshness, culminating in a very long-lasting firework display of floral and spice notes. pH 3.78.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Barrel sample.

En sylskarp balanse, latterlig kompleks.
Dette er en «presis» vin.

Rødbærfrukten her er så latterlig elegant, nesten ikke vært borti før. Myke, fremtredende sorte jordbær, sødmefulle syrlige og lyse plommer, myke strukturerte plommer, parfyrmerte nyanserte bær (duftlys) og pene eiketoner. 

Smak av sorte og mørke jordbær,  og konsentrerte røde og sorte plommer. Balansen her er helt ekstrem, hvor alle resterende faktorene spiller så nydelig inn. Konsentrasjon og tanninene er så samspilte, nesten ikke vært vitne til tidligere.

99-100p.

Smakt hos Vieux Chateau Certan.

Expert

2022 (barrel sample)

Aroma av jordbær, hylleblomst, perfyme, plomme, blåbær, søt lakris, vanilje, sjokolade,

Dette var noe helt spesielt, finesse og presisjon ut av en annen verden. 

Vertikalt ved siden av 2016 er 2022 mye mer rød frukt dreven og en litt mindre robust tanninstruktur.

Poeng 99-100

WSET 2

Flott mørk, nærmest noe vandig frukt, av det positive. Toffee, lys kaffe, mint og lys lakris.

Smak av sorte bjørnebær, mørke blåbær, lakris, jordlig, veldig pene krydder toner. Veldig flott syre, klassiske Bx tanniner.

97-98p.

A blend of 77% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Vieux Chateau Certan has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It comes bounding out with exuberant notes of black cherries, juicy raspberries, and fresh, crunchy plums, giving way to nuances of lilacs, crushed rocks, forest floor, and garrigue. The medium-bodied palate has exhilarating tension, with fine-grained tannins and beautifully layered red and black berry flavors, finishing long with lots of mineral and floral sparks. Fireworks!

Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Vieux Chateau Certan is composed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the youngest vines being 41 years old and the oldest 80 years old.  The nose is shut tight to begin, needing a lot of air to call forth beguiling scents of rose oil, sandalwood, star anise, and black truffles - to begin - giving way to a profound core of plum preserves, blueberry compote, boysenberries, and molten chocolate with a fleeting waft of vanilla pod and sassafras. The full-bodied palate is fantastically structured, with very firm yet very fine, smooth tannins and amazing tension supporting the dense, multilayered fruit, finishing with epic length and a whole firework display of mineral and floral notes. This is superb.

The tannins are firm and strict, keeping the dark fruits carefully in line. Tons of liquorice and slate, with a beautifully fragrant edge of violets, peonies, smoke. It has the kind of austerity that makes you happy to be patient, hiding layers and layers of nuance, with the sleight of hand between density and lightness, so it rises and falls, breathing through your palate, stretching its limbs. A delicious and beautifully classical expression, intellectual also, finishing with oyster shell salinity. 70% new oak, 40hl/h yield, harvest September 23 to October 3.

Inside Bordeaux

Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont are deeply thoughtful, instinctive winemakers who spend most of their time outside in the vineyards, and prove once again here why VCC is such a well-loved Pomerol. Three years along and you start to see the sweeter edged Merlot fruits where during En Primeur this was very much Cabernet Franc dominant. I get a beautiful touch of strawberry and raspberry puree which is given form by precise brushstroke tannins, white pepper and smoked butterscotch. A careful selection from the 23 plots ensured only pristine fruit - meaning not overly-affected by the summer heat - made it into the wine, showing the level of commitment at this estate. Harvest September 19 to October 9, 3.75ph, 40 hl/ha yield.

Aroma av blåbær, pepper, anise, vanilje, syltetøy, barnål, jordlig, blåbær, 

Bra konsentrasjon, fin tanninstruktur, balanse, litt alkohol touch, kompleks, 

Veldig utradisjonell 2017, oppleves som en napa cab, servert blindt, 

Poeng 94

Aroma av dype plommer, blåbær, sopp, karamell, jordbunn, tobakk, lær, sjokolade 

Perfeksjon, perfekt balanse, super kompleks, en enorm lengde, dette er en vin for ages, en Legende

Smakt på slottet

Poeng 99

Well judged, a more serious Pomerol than many, so subtle and beguiling in its construction, truffles, white pepper, cranberry, smoked earth, violet flowers, attractive floral edge and this is just gorgeous, grilled and wrapped up in caressing VCC tannins, with an intellectual edge, or rather an edge that keeps you engaged and wanting more.

The 2013 Vieux Chateau Certan has a medium garnet color, with a touch of brick. The nose opens with notions of prunes, raisin cake, and dried herbs, giving way to hints of leather and incense. The medium-bodied palate delivers a good amount of mature fruit, with chewy tannins and a firm, earthy finish.

Tasted at the Duquesne club in Pittsburgh during a wonderful event to celebrate their 150th anniversary. Still young at 13 years old, but the tannins are beginning to melt into the raspberry and redcurrant fruits, and the violet aromatics that you can spend years searching for in Pomerol uncurl out of the glass with barely a coaxing. Fine but plentiful tannins suggest this has decades ahead of it. Particularly special because George Thienpont bought the estate in 1924, meaning that next year in 2024 they are celebrating their 100th anniversary in the family. 50% new oak.

Duft av modne plommer, bjørnebær, lær og treverk 
Modne mørke bær, sødmefull frukt med integrerte tanniner og en god lengde 

High floral and gunsmoke aromatics, this is intense and concentrated. Where the 2009 has more immediately appeal, this 2010 is clearly going to deliver over the decades. Coiled and reserved tannins, a ton of texture and powerful black fruits, precise and poised, this is exception.

Rich and deep plum in colour, still with a vibrant reflection. This is right at the top tier of the 2009s, juicy and controlled, capturing appellation typicty in the soft waves of grilled caramel without being sweet or heavy, opens to waves of violet and tomato leaf, sculpted, juicy, delicious.

I've found a number of 2000s finally overtaking the 2001s this year, after a long time when the 2001 vintage was clearly showing better. But there are still moments when 2001 reigns, and this Vieux Château Certan is a case in point. Slowly unrolls, gathering in power as it goes, blackberry, damson and raspberry fruits, together with truffle, toasted almonds, tobacco leaf, ash. A great moment to open and enjoy this wine, made for sharing.

Første flaske korket. Flaske nr 2; rett fra flasken, en del brett, mørke plommer, blyantspiss, noe søtlig tobakkspreg. Fin nese. I munnen flott anslag med klar rød frukt mot røde plommer og noe jordbær. Bra struktur, kjølig frukt, stram, fin syre. Presis. medium tanniner, finkornede. Medium pluss lengde. Etter 4t i åpen flaske; blåbær, noe rød paprika. I munnen, ganske stram, ren frukt, ikke like mye fruktsødme som i 86. Strukturert.

2023	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2022	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2021	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2020	3 852,40 krNot available	Extraordinary
2019	2 832,90 krAvailable	Extraordinary

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Vieux Chateau Certan
Vintages	2022
Country	France, Bordeaux, Pomerol
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

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