Vieux Château Certan 2020
Covering an area of 14 hectares in a single block, the vineyard of Vieux Château Certan is divided into 23 plots managed independently according to soil type, grape varieties planted and the age of the vines.
With a wide variety of nuances, the soils are made up of a very clayey part planted mainly with Merlot (70%), a clayey-gravelly part planted with Cabernet Franc (25%) and a very gravelly part planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (5%).
The average age of the vineyard is 50 years. These old vines, combined with the microclimate of the Pomerol plateau allow the different grape varieties to reach an optimal maturation.
Source: Château Vieux Certan
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, May 2021
Vieux Chateau Certan 2020, is deep purple-black in color, needs coaxing, shaking, and lots of patience to finally release an intoxicating perfume of ripe, juicy black plums, morello cherries, candied violets, black truffles, and crushed rocks, which gives way to notes of black tea, melted licorice, and Sichuan pepper, as well as a hint of dusty red earth.
The medium to full-bodied palate offers ripe, silt-like tannins and a shimmering freshness that mingles with dark fruit and earthy layers with stunning fluidity, finishing with layer upon layer of mineral and savory suggestions and, finally, a gorgeous floral whisper.
There are two ways to approach this wine:
1) Simply let yourself be overwhelmed by the remarkably sensual and inexplicable beauty of this perfume,
or
2) Try to unravel all those complex layers and take in the fullness of it.
Either way, this is simply an incredible achievement - bravo Alexandre et Guillaume Thienpont !
Data sheet
- Designation
- Pomerol
- Year
- 2020
- Color
- Red
- Acceptance
- 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
- Alcohol level
- 14°5
- Apogee
- 2023 - 2055
Jeb Dunnuck - Noté 97-99/100
James Suckling - Noté 98-99/100
Vinous / Neal Martin - Noté 96-98/100
Jancis Robinson - Noté 18++/20
Wine Advocate / Lisa Perrotti - Noté 98-100/100
Jeff Leve - Noté 98-100/100
