Wow. Amazing nose of blackberries and cherries with forest floor and graphite are the things that come to mind most readily, but there is so much complexity here. The palate is very finely balanced with bright juicy acid countering the powdery tannins. The finish is long and complex. This is such a baby, and will clearly be better in 10 years, and better still 10 years after that. But it is so delicious even at this stage.
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Bursts with complex aromatics emphasizing the earthy side of VCC with all that tree-bark and forestal stuff that gets irresistably truffly with age. The first impression on the palate is that the cabernet franc is really driving the wine this year, with all this etched, linear detail. But as it sits in the glass you can feel the plummy merlot bursting at the seems, building in intensity and sweetness. The tannins are quite powerful and grippy but had turned to ultrafine powder in the glass's worth left in the bottle the next day.
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375 format face off between 2019 Clinet & Vieux Chateau Certan.
Slight edge to VCC after slow ox worked it’s magic. Small evolution in the glass unfurled small nuances separating these two Pomerol producers. Both are incredible wines in the early stages of development.
QPR goes to Clinet.
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Some Toppish 2019 Bordeaux: Decanted in advance. Very expressive, and I’d call this hedonistic if I didn’t try the La Conseillante right after. Big red ripe fruit, plum skin, nice acid, nice tannin in background. Can feel the 14.5% alcohol but not taste it. Lively, vibrant… and mineral. Hard for me to see how it ages (speaks to my lack of experience more than the wine). Not used to such an ebullient VCC and 14.5% at that. 94/95
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2019 Chateau Vieux Certan. This was splash decanted at the start of lunch. Deep purple with ruby rim. Muted nose. Tightly wound but not unapproachable palate of black fruit, red fruit, plum, a hint of mint, and Harvey’s Bristol Cream. Tannic but super smooth and just about drinkable with air though with alcoholic heat. You can just feel this is going to be a 97+ wine in 5-10 years but would drink the ‘15/earlier at this point. 95 for now.
The aromatics are subtle in execution and unlike anything I've encountered from a wine. The perfume is familiar but you just cannot place it. It takes you a floral rose garden or a beautiful smile in a sun dress.
On the palate, it's as if I'm drinking a beautiful white white with all the flavors of rouge. Lifted and effortless. The finish lingers and leaves you wanting more. Unmistakably VCC fruit. Soft cassis, licorice, cacao, I've had more intense flavors from this producer but I think that will come with time in the bottle. Nose 100, palate 98+
Starts with one of the most amazing bouquets I can remember on a BDX wine. Glorious creme de cassis and dark chocolate with soaring floral aromas, laced with menthol, tobacco and herbs. Tremendously pure and focused, it's super firm, with Mt Everest level tannins and insane precision. If you catch it just at the right time, the fruit is a knockout, but blink and the tannins have sucked that enjoyment away. I guess if you could ever say a wine of this quality from BDX is forward than this has a hint of that opulence, but everything is in perfect balance and it will be super long lived. Love it, but of course it needs at least a decade or so to come around.
There is no hotter wine these days in Pomerol than Vieux Chateau Certan. Since 2009, vintage after vintage has been extraordinary and 2019 continues its hot streak! The first thing you notice is the perfume, which is just like walking into a flower store with rows of roses, violets, and lilies along with forest greenery, spice box, plum liqueur, black cherry, truffle, and dark chocolate scents come alive. But it is on the palate that leaves you wanting more, due to non-stop waves of perfectly ripe, black cherries, plums, blackberries, and blue fruit which feel like each berry was hand-polished with a velvet cloth. The seamless finish delivers cashmere textures for more than 60 seconds! You can drink this relatively young for its hedonistic thrill-ride, or age it for additional complexities. Either way, this is a future legend! Drink from 2026-2060.
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2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
Vieux Chateau Certan is not a Trophy wine that Americans buy to throw their junk on a table and show off (crude I know but reality), it’s a wine that really only knowledgeable wine drinkers are aware of and not well known to Americans. Further they do not advertise or market or do any publicly at all, they are farmers/winemakers and that’s what they know (FYI going forward same winemaker as Le Pin GT). If there was an ounce of marketing they would be priced 2x++ what it is today. First we tasted the 2020 second wine, La Gravette de Certan, then 2020 VCC, then 2010 and then the 2019 (requested a comparison after the fact). The suite of wines were outstanding, period- and they know it with a shy smile and a nod.
After having the incredible 2020 and the impeccable 2010 and seeing us squeal like schoolchildren and nearly faint following screams of ecstasy, I was curious how the so far unknown ‘19s were in comparison to these wines and he said “let’s find out”. I think we all started clapping like Eddie Murphy in the Krumps. In the back of my head I was ready to be disappointed as these two wines we just had were some of the best wines we have ever had and the 2010 just dethroned the 2005 Latour. Well the wine didn’t disappoint in the least. Nearly as good as the 2020, it simply crushed it. Damn these wines are unreal and the 2020 increase was well deserved. Damnit.
If you have never heard of VCC, you will soon enough. If you haven’t tasted one, you are missing out on what wine is all about. If you haven’t had one in its peak drinking window, regardless if early or towards the end, I don’t think one truly has experienced all of what wine has to offer (while it may not be affordable, either save up and stop buying other wine or find a friend or pool some friends together and chip in to buy one- and if doing that, buy the 2010 as it’s firing on all cylinders and will only continue to get better every day- IMO (I purposefully left out humble). Cheers!
Flowers, black raspberry, plum liqueur, truffle, wet earth, forest floor and cherry blossoms are in the nose. Rich, intense, full-bodied, deep and velvety, the wine is loaded with dark chocolate, black cherries and the essence of dark plums. The decadent finish sticks with you for close to 60 seconds, which is a good thing, because the wine is so texturally sensual, you do not want it to end. Blending 78% Merlot with 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.75. Picking took place September 23 -September 27 for the old vine Merlot and October 2-October 3 for the Cabernet. The wine is aging in about 67% new, French oak barrels. 98-100 Pts
2/3/2024 - jtreger wrote: 98 Points
Wow. Amazing nose of blackberries and cherries with forest floor and graphite are the things that come to mind most readily, but there is so much complexity here. The palate is very finely balanced with bright juicy acid countering the powdery tannins. The finish is long and complex. This is such a baby, and will clearly be better in 10 years, and better still 10 years after that. But it is so delicious even at this stage.
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10/15/2023 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Bursts with complex aromatics emphasizing the earthy side of VCC with all that tree-bark and forestal stuff that gets irresistably truffly with age. The first impression on the palate is that the cabernet franc is really driving the wine this year, with all this etched, linear detail. But as it sits in the glass you can feel the plummy merlot bursting at the seems, building in intensity and sweetness. The tannins are quite powerful and grippy but had turned to ultrafine powder in the glass's worth left in the bottle the next day.
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3/24/2023 - rylanreynolds wrote: 96 Points
Medium ruby color, clear no sediment, medium + intensity on the nose, red plum, pencil lead aromatics, medium acidity, medium + tannin. Long finish
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3/19/2023 - ubercuvee wrote:
Nose is lifted and plummy, very good on the palate – no heat.
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2/26/2023 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine:
375 format face off between 2019 Clinet & Vieux Chateau Certan.
Slight edge to VCC after slow ox worked it’s magic. Small evolution in the glass unfurled small nuances separating these two Pomerol producers. Both are incredible wines in the early stages of development.
QPR goes to Clinet.
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2/26/2023 - SARED wrote: 95 Points
Some Toppish 2019 Bordeaux: Decanted in advance. Very expressive, and I’d call this hedonistic if I didn’t try the La Conseillante right after. Big red ripe fruit, plum skin, nice acid, nice tannin in background. Can feel the 14.5% alcohol but not taste it. Lively, vibrant… and mineral. Hard for me to see how it ages (speaks to my lack of experience more than the wine). Not used to such an ebullient VCC and 14.5% at that. 94/95
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9/18/2022 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 95 Points
2019 Chateau Vieux Certan. This was splash decanted at the start of lunch. Deep purple with ruby rim. Muted nose. Tightly wound but not unapproachable palate of black fruit, red fruit, plum, a hint of mint, and Harvey’s Bristol Cream. Tannic but super smooth and just about drinkable with air though with alcoholic heat. You can just feel this is going to be a 97+ wine in 5-10 years but would drink the ‘15/earlier at this point. 95 for now.
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7/2/2022 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 98 Points
PNP-consumed over 24.
The aromatics are subtle in execution and unlike anything I've encountered from a wine. The perfume is familiar but you just cannot place it. It takes you a floral rose garden or a beautiful smile in a sun dress.
On the palate, it's as if I'm drinking a beautiful white white with all the flavors of rouge. Lifted and effortless. The finish lingers and leaves you wanting more. Unmistakably VCC fruit. Soft cassis, licorice, cacao, I've had more intense flavors from this producer but I think that will come with time in the bottle. Nose 100, palate 98+
Do not miss.
98+
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6/4/2022 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Starts with one of the most amazing bouquets I can remember on a BDX wine. Glorious creme de cassis and dark chocolate with soaring floral aromas, laced with menthol, tobacco and herbs. Tremendously pure and focused, it's super firm, with Mt Everest level tannins and insane precision. If you catch it just at the right time, the fruit is a knockout, but blink and the tannins have sucked that enjoyment away. I guess if you could ever say a wine of this quality from BDX is forward than this has a hint of that opulence, but everything is in perfect balance and it will be super long lived. Love it, but of course it needs at least a decade or so to come around.
9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (11)
3/29/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
There is no hotter wine these days in Pomerol than Vieux Chateau Certan. Since 2009, vintage after vintage has been extraordinary and 2019 continues its hot streak! The first thing you notice is the perfume, which is just like walking into a flower store with rows of roses, violets, and lilies along with forest greenery, spice box, plum liqueur, black cherry, truffle, and dark chocolate scents come alive. But it is on the palate that leaves you wanting more, due to non-stop waves of perfectly ripe, black cherries, plums, blackberries, and blue fruit which feel like each berry was hand-polished with a velvet cloth. The seamless finish delivers cashmere textures for more than 60 seconds! You can drink this relatively young for its hedonistic thrill-ride, or age it for additional complexities. Either way, this is a future legend! Drink from 2026-2060.
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7/15/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 97 Points
2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
Vieux Chateau Certan is not a Trophy wine that Americans buy to throw their junk on a table and show off (crude I know but reality), it’s a wine that really only knowledgeable wine drinkers are aware of and not well known to Americans. Further they do not advertise or market or do any publicly at all, they are farmers/winemakers and that’s what they know (FYI going forward same winemaker as Le Pin GT). If there was an ounce of marketing they would be priced 2x++ what it is today. First we tasted the 2020 second wine, La Gravette de Certan, then 2020 VCC, then 2010 and then the 2019 (requested a comparison after the fact). The suite of wines were outstanding, period- and they know it with a shy smile and a nod.
After having the incredible 2020 and the impeccable 2010 and seeing us squeal like schoolchildren and nearly faint following screams of ecstasy, I was curious how the so far unknown ‘19s were in comparison to these wines and he said “let’s find out”. I think we all started clapping like Eddie Murphy in the Krumps. In the back of my head I was ready to be disappointed as these two wines we just had were some of the best wines we have ever had and the 2010 just dethroned the 2005 Latour. Well the wine didn’t disappoint in the least. Nearly as good as the 2020, it simply crushed it. Damn these wines are unreal and the 2020 increase was well deserved. Damnit.
If you have never heard of VCC, you will soon enough. If you haven’t tasted one, you are missing out on what wine is all about. If you haven’t had one in its peak drinking window, regardless if early or towards the end, I don’t think one truly has experienced all of what wine has to offer (while it may not be affordable, either save up and stop buying other wine or find a friend or pool some friends together and chip in to buy one- and if doing that, buy the 2010 as it’s firing on all cylinders and will only continue to get better every day- IMO (I purposefully left out humble). Cheers!
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6/8/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Flowers, black raspberry, plum liqueur, truffle, wet earth, forest floor and cherry blossoms are in the nose. Rich, intense, full-bodied, deep and velvety, the wine is loaded with dark chocolate, black cherries and the essence of dark plums. The decadent finish sticks with you for close to 60 seconds, which is a good thing, because the wine is so texturally sensual, you do not want it to end. Blending 78% Merlot with 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.75. Picking took place September 23 -September 27 for the old vine Merlot and October 2-October 3 for the Cabernet. The wine is aging in about 67% new, French oak barrels. 98-100 Pts
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