France

Vieux Chateau Certan

Vieux Chateau Certan Pomerol

Bordeaux

Pomerol

A blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc, Vieux Chateau Certan 2023 has a pH of 3.74 and it is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of fresh blackberries, juicy plums, and black cherries slowly emerge from the glass, opening out to fragrant notes of violets, star anise, and black truffles, followed by wafts of wood smoke and cardamom. The medium-bodied palate is taut and muscular with firm, rounded tannins and seamless acidity, finishing with many, many layers of earth, spice, and floral notes. This is pure latent power.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Fresh floral heights to the aromatics, then dark berry fruits and a core of muscles of the palate, classically-weighted with grip and texture, white pepper spice and salted cracker salinity on the finish. Stretches out through the palate, feels gloriously old school, full of hidden depths and pleasures. 43hl/h yield, harvest September 18 through to 29. Youngest vines here are 1988, which helps give the complexity that is so celebrated at VCC.

Inside Bordeaux

Ruby red. Delicate and velvety nose with violets, cherries, blueberries, herbs, licorice and exotic spice. Fresh acidity. Blackberries, blueberries, anise, licorice , salinity and spice. Smooth polished tannins. Very long. 96-98p

Drink from 2035-2070

The blend is:
82% Merlot
18% Cabernet Franc

Just so nice and elegant. Can't wait to taste it again 😊

Expert

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.

Skilful winemaking, with fragrant curling aromatics, gunsmoke, cigar. This is a year for taking the pleasure in aromatics, so make sure you give it time to open up, as there is a lovely structure here that curls around red roses, raspberry puree, full of joy. No chaptilisation, very light fining. 65% new oak, 3.63ph. Harvest September 24 to October 6.

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 2019 Vieux Chateau Certan, composed of 78% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, is deep garnet-purple in color. Quite closed to start, it slowly reveals hints of plum pudding, blackberry preserves, and boysenberries with suggestions of Indian spices, mocha, and black olives. The full-bodied palate is fantastically layered, rich, and hedonic, with velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and decadent.

Vieux Chateau Certan 2018 has a deep garnet purple color. It needs swirling to unlock scents of baked black cherries, mulberries, and smoked meats, with underlying hints of redcurrants, violets, and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is very nuanced, with a lively backbone and super-fine tannins, and is long, long, long. 

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

WSET 2

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

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2014 Vieux Chateau Certan is a little shy to start, offering up faint notes of candied violets and licorice opening out to a core of preserved plums and Christmas cake plus a waft of sandalwood. The  full-bodied palate delivers a refreshing backbone and fine-grained tannins to support the taut, powerful black fruits, finishing long and earthy.

At Vieux Chateau Certan, production of the top wine fell by 75% in this vintage, after extreme selection by owner Alexandre Thienpont. At 10 years old, it retains a dark ruby colour and shows balance and grace, centred around cold ash, undergrowth and remnants of charred blackberry fruit studded with pomegranate and spice. Has appeal, very much in its drinking window. 23hl/h yield.

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	2023
Country	France, Bordeaux, Pomerol
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

Packaging
Cork type
Selection
Wholesaler
Carrier