Vieux Chateau Certan - Direct From Chateau
Vieux Chateau Certan is right next door to Le Pin and Petrus and just down the road from Cheval Blanc. This is seriously good terroir for merlot and cabernet franc. Owed and run by father and son team Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont they have ensured that this great estate remains at the very top of the appellation with fastidious work in the vineyard and cellar.
The wines get amazing reviews and are generally some of the most intriguing and exciting wines from the Right Bank if not, the whole of Bordeaux. The wines offered below are coming directly from the Chateau and will be shipped for delivery in May 2023. It's a one-off offer and one that's only been extended because of the relationship.
As far as Henry is concerned - whilst the vintage work was long - he now knows the importance of keeping things pristine in a winery, an attention to detail in the winemaking process, and not surprisingly, he has a real interest in all things wine. He feels that he will never forget the taste of Vieux Chateau Certan or Le Pin which he was lucky enough to try a few times - better than the usual backpacker plonk we've all had to endure at one time in our lives.
As I said above, this is a one-off and there is a limited number of each vintage so I would urge you to grab some. You won't be disappointed.
Orders placed this week received pre-arrival pricing - 10% deposit balance when the wines arrive.
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Vieux Chateau Certan 2015Pomerol
The 2015 Vieux Château Certan is a blend of 80% Merlot,, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, cropped between September 17 and October 2 at 42 hectoliters per hectare. The IPT is healthy 83 and the pH is 3.72, the alcohol 14.6%. Enough statistics. What you need to know is that it is a beguiling Pomerol that will set hearts aflutter. It is bridled with a heavenly bouquet with intense red and black fruit, black truffle and a touch of smoke, opening wonderfully in the glass; the Cabernet Franc is very expressive and imparting a licorice note after ten minutes. The palate is medium-bodied with intensity, with a killer line of acidity that imparts freshness from the very start. There is life-affirming tension interwoven throughout this extremely complex wine from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont. There are layers, more like a mille-feuille of blackberry, boysenberry, mineral, truffle and a touch of spice towards the finish, just a touch of warmth from the alcohol that merely complements an extraordinary and profound Pomerol. Drink 2025-2060
(98-100) NEAL MARTINThe 2015 Vieux Château Certan is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich, sumptuous and explosive in the glass, the 2015 is pure class. The flavors are deep and boldly sketched in this sumptuous, spectacularly ripe Pomerol. Inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, lavender, licorice and menthol all develop in the glass, but it is the wine's textural richness and intensity that stand out most. As good as the 2015 is today, it is going to need at least 15-20 years to be at its very best. Is there anything more I can ask of the 2015? No, there is not. This is a tremendous showing. (100) ANTONIO GALLONI
The blackberries, blueberries, oyster shell and violets are so mesmerizing. Full-bodied, focused and deep. It takes you to another space and plane. Dried flowers and dark fruit. The tannins are perfectly crafted. Keeps going as you taste it. Drink in 2023 but why wait? (100) JAMES SUCKLING
2015Cabernet BlendsFrance356$1,115.00 As low as $1,003.50 -
Vieux Chateau Certan 2016POMEROL
The 2016 Vieux Château Certan is the first vintage to be entirely bottled by the estate’s own bottling machine (just in case that ever comes up in a wine quiz). Alexandre Thienpont mentioned that he assiduously left out the stressed vines, and he places this above his more hedonistic 2015. The wine takes a few minutes to open in the glass, but boy, is it worth the wait: it reveals pixelated red fruit (crushed strawberry and raspberry) and crushed stone, plus a hint of graphite emanating from the Cabernets. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly chalky tannin that frames pure black and red fruit infused with graphite and almost flint-like notes. This is one of the most mineral-driven VCCs that I have encountered in over 20 years, with dizzying precision on the finish. A very intellectual Pomerol, in the realm of the profound. (100) ANTONIO GALLONI2016Cabernet BlendsFrance356$1,595.00 As low as $1,435.50 -
Vieux Chateau Certan 2017Pomerol
Just as it was en primeur, the 2017 Vieux Château Certan is regal and soaring right out of the glass. Inky blue and purplish fruit, chocolate, licorice, lavender, spice and mint come together in a dense, dark and powerful Pomerol. The 2017 is an explosive, vivid wine of monastic beauty. In this vintage, VCC is especially dark and somber, which adds to a real feeling of mysterious beauty. It is a towering achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI2017Cabernet BlendsFrance356$900.00 As low as $810.00 -
Vieux Chateau Certan 20182 bottles available at time of offer - more available pre arrival
The 2018 Vieux Château Certan is delicate, silky and understated, just as it was in barrel. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, mint, lavender, spice and wild flowers all open in the glass. The 30% Cabernet Franc, which is high for present-day standards, adds tons of aromatic lift as well as freshness, while bright, saline-infused notes extend the finish. Fine tannins and mid-weight structure give the 2018 an air of finesse that is impossible to miss. If I had to bet on one 2018 that could very well surprise 10-20 years out, it might very well be VCC. (97+) Antonio GalloniAndrew Caillard,
MW 100
Deep crimson. Beautiful dark plum, cassis, inky, violet aromas with vanilla notes. Supple and smooth with inky rich plum dark plum, cassis, herb flavours, fine loose-knit lacy smooth tannins, lovely viscosity and generosity. A plume of tannin at the finish. Superb effortless wine.James Suckling 99-100
This is a significant VCC with masses of fruit and juicy tannins. It's fresh, but impresses you with the rich and powerful fruit. A tower of a wine. Incredible depth and density. Thick and muscular. It is 30 per cent cabernet franc, the rest merlot.Lisa Perrotti-Brown 97-100
Medium to deep garnet-purple-it has a very vibrant color-it drifts effortlessly out of the glass with wonderfully intense, beautifully delineated scents of red roses, black raspberries, kirsch and Darjeeling tea before the powerful, profound black fruits kick in: baked plums, wild blueberries, molten licorice and mulberries with touches of cigar box, cinnamon stick, tapenade and truffles. Full-bodied, rich, densely packed and revealing layer upon layer of red and black fruits with an incredible array of floral and spicy sparks, it has a high level of super ripe, incredibly fine, velvety soft tannins and fantastic freshness (not just from acid but from bright, crunchy fruit). It finishes very long, marvellously layered and with such jaw-dropping brightness from the fruit, the end is almost electric. Incredible.2018Cabernet BlendsFrance356$1,195.00 As low as $1,075.50