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- "The 2016 Vieux Château Certan is a wine of extraordinary beauty." Antonio Galloni
- "It’s a wine that seduces you with every sip — already." James Suckling
- "Sumptuous nose... Amazing persistence and elegance in claret mode." Jancis Robinson MW
Tasting Notes -+
Colour Garnet Red
Nose "It has a very refined bouquet with blackberry, briary and morello cherries that are tightly wound at first, but open gradually with aeration." Neal Martin
Palate "The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin. There is plenty of dark berry fruit laced with hints of earl grey and bay leaf, a complex and cerebral Pomerol with a long, precise and (to put it banally) delicious finish." Neal Martin
Food Pairing Homemade Barbecue Chicken Pizza Recipe.
Cellaring 15 Plus Years
Notes The 2016 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Winery -+
Vieux Château Certan
Vieux Château Certan's wines are beautifully balanced and are widely regarded as some of the finest in Bordeaux. While the estate is unclassified (as with Pomerol on the whole) it has long been recognised among the great growths of the region, by some accounts comparable to neighbouring estate Château Pétrus. The wine is made by Alexandre Thienpont, the nephew of Jacques at Le Pin who took over in 1985 and has been on his best form since 1998.
The estate covers a relatively small 14 hectares (35 acres) in one single block, surrounded by some of the best in the appellation; Petrus, Conseillante, Le Pin and L'Evangile. It's planted out to 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and is divided into 23 different parcels, allowing the estate to achieve the best possible blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc depending on vintage conditions.
Vieux Château Certan is often ranked by international tasting panels and the world's press among the finest wines. The second wine produced is La Gravette de Certan.
The estate covers a relatively small 14 hectares (35 acres) in one single block, surrounded by some of the best in the appellation; Petrus, Conseillante, Le Pin and L'Evangile. It's planted out to 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and is divided into 23 different parcels, allowing the estate to achieve the best possible blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc depending on vintage conditions.
Vieux Château Certan is often ranked by international tasting panels and the world's press among the finest wines. The second wine produced is La Gravette de Certan.
Region -+
Pomerol
Pomerol is a highly respected red wine appellation in the Bordeaux region in the south-west of France. Unlike the majority of Bordeaux, (Medoc, Graves, Sauternes and Saint-Emilion), Pomerol does not utilize a formal wine classification system.
Merlot is the dominant grape in Pomerol and plays a large part in making the wines smooth and approachable in their youth. Cabernet Franc is also often present, adding structure and an element of savory spice. There is a very high demand for this style of wine on the international market and Pomerol wines are much sought after – particularly because they are also relatively long-lived.
Merlot is the dominant grape in Pomerol and plays a large part in making the wines smooth and approachable in their youth. Cabernet Franc is also often present, adding structure and an element of savory spice. There is a very high demand for this style of wine on the international market and Pomerol wines are much sought after – particularly because they are also relatively long-lived.
100*
points
Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Vieux Château Certan is a wine of extraordinary beauty. Rich, seamless and voluptuous in the glass, it exudes sensuality in all of its dimensions. Tasted as a hypothetical blend, the 2016 is less expressive than the separate lots were when I tasted them a few months ago. A rush of dark cherry, inky blue/purplish fruit, crushed rocks, lavender and rose petal infuses the creamy, voluptuous finish. The 2016 manages to be dense and rich, but with no excess weight. It is quite simply a remarkable wine. 97-100 points.
99*
points
James Suckling
The balance and finesse to this wine are really beautiful with ultra-fine tannins and beautiful fruit. It’s full and structured yet so long and intense. It’s a wine that seduces you with every sip — already. Great selection here. Quite simply turbocharged at the end. 98-99 points.
97*
points
Neal Martin
The 2016 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon that was picked at 40.50 hectoliters per hectare, in three stages of picking: 3-7, 10-11 and 17-18 October. It has a high IPT of 82 and a pH of 3.77. It has a very refined bouquet with blackberry, briary and morello cherries that are tightly wound at first, but open gradually with aeration. The Merlot is fully in control aromatically; this is not a VCC governed by the Cabernet Franc this year, consistent with the 2016 vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin. There is plenty of dark berry fruit laced with hints of earl grey and bay leaf, a complex and cerebral Pomerol with a long, precise and (to put it banally) delicious finish. This is another outstanding wine from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont. 95-97 points.
Drink Date: 2022 - 2060
Drink Date: 2022 - 2060
95
points
Decanter
This is a muscular, big wine, more so than in some years, but it is so precise and intellectual, and one of the more austere takes on the vintage at this early stage. The 2015 was more of a crowd-pleaser perhaps, but this has such a gripping, thrilling sense of well drawn out fruit wrapped up in fresh, floral layers. The tannins have an IPT of 82, but are extremely ripe, totally delicious and beautifully constructed. They found more difference between young and old vines compared to the previous year, because of the stress in the summer, so 66% of production made it into the grand vin compared to 75% in 2015. 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Drinking Window 2027 - 2050
Tasted by Jane Anson
Drinking Window 2027 - 2050
Tasted by Jane Anson
19/20
points
Jancis Robinson
85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sumptuous nose. Great lift. Real race and dancing stuff. Good structure and line. Nothing sweet or fleshy about this but lovely ripeness and nobility. Amazing persistence and elegance in claret mode.
When to drink: 2025 - 2045
Sumptuous nose. Great lift. Real race and dancing stuff. Good structure and line. Nothing sweet or fleshy about this but lovely ripeness and nobility. Amazing persistence and elegance in claret mode.
When to drink: 2025 - 2045
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