April 30, 2023 - VT Group Tasting Vol. 4: Tasted double blind. Nested in a flight between two Supertuscans (Tignanello 2018 at 90pts, Redigaffi 2013 at 91pts), this showed quite elegant and layered, not too ripe and without any heat. When revealed, I was positively surprised as I found recent vintages of VCC often a bit Napa-esque but they handled the 2018 warm year quite well as it seems. “The no alcohol heat detectable” is encouraging (I had some 2018 bottles which showed heat: Mission, Calon, Poyferre, Rauzan Segla).
TN: Medium expressive, with time more and more expressive bouquet with dark and dark red berries, herbs, and a nice cut from minerality. On the palate more expressive right from the start. Quite layered and highly precise aromas of herbs, menthol, dark red fruit, some darker berries, minerality. With time beautiful tobacco notes and the typical VCC spices add to the complexity. Well-behaved, round, fine tannins, good freshness, not exactly weightless but with lots of elegance and a luxurious satin-like texture. The balance is superb, not one component out of place, no alcohol heat showing.
Decanting: Not decanted. Good from the go, improved with air. A short decant should do the job.
April 24, 2023 - Tasted blind. Red cherry and dark cherry, ripe and style and resulting in a fruit-forward bouquet – although also complemented by nice minerality. This follows an intense and fruit-forward palate. Harmony was ok from start but was also getting better. I felt this to be more one-dimensional and less facetted than other recent vintages such as 2015 or 2016 – but the structure for long-term aging is definitely there and wouldn’t be surprised to see this improve.
April 16, 2023 - I continue to love this wine and respect it as well because it avoids the excesses of the vintage. Not big and ripe but rather so refined and precise. Medium-bodied but with great purity and finesse. Tasted at the Chateau with Guillaume. 95+
April 30, 2022 - Stowed to Cabo for dinner at Seared. Incredible expressive at PNP. No decant, slow ox in the glass.
Dark purple ruby hue in the glass, the nose is floral from the healthy blend of Cab Franc. Plums, dark chocolate, expresso, blueberry and stone. Tension from the tannins prove electric on the palate which melts and coats the tongue
Not as approachable as the 16 at the same point in time but could outlive that vintage.
97+
Quarter of the bottle brought back to Houston. 72 Hours of slow ox in the bottle and the wine is still sexy as all get out. Tannins subsided but the silky goodness is fruit and center. Nose is a little muted compared to 3 days earlier but it makes up for it on the approachability on the palate. Ripe acidity.
98+
This upside on the wine is incredible. Glad to have gone back in for more after EP.
December 11, 2021 - Just opened this... Reminds me of when I cracked the 2009 Palmer on release. What a pleasure to sip. Deep purple almost like licorice! Gorgeous sensations emerge tantalizing the mouth. Blueberries, kitsch and minerals. 3 hours later, things soften a bit with more pronounced flavors, the finish in dazzling. Currants emerge exploding in the mouth.Well balanced and silky soft. Probably the best wine experience for a young bordeaux ever! It beats the Palmer, as every bit of this tastes sensational. Medium to full body, and very rich indeed. Now mind you ... I have had Gravette '14 and '15. Have 2 cases of the '18. Those wines are close to the look and feel of this one, not as deep or rich, but as far as 2nds go, this has to be the best I've had in comparison to the Gran Vins. Having said that. load up on those which are 1/3 -1/4 of the price. We all can't drink Gran Vin every night!
November 30, 2021 - 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Wonderfully sharp and wide aromas that makes your feet tremble with joy. Even with the concentration, it can be considered velvety soft. Strong flower, some masculine perfume, plum, cassis, espresso and sweet-smoked smoke and licorice. Lovely full-bodied wine that takes hold and spreads its delicacy around in the mouthfeel. Great fruit of plum and black currant, chalk, leather, licorice and lots of smoke and the most delicious barrel spices make it impossible to close again. The acid is challenged, but gives a living wine. The tannin structure is excellent. Needs time this, but has great potential.
March 9, 2021 - There is no hotter wine in Pomerol these days than Vieux Chateau Certan. 2018 joins 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2016 in the perfect score category! The opaque colored wine explodes with dark red, black and blue fruits, dark cocoa, herbs, flowers, spice, wet earth and licorice in the nose. If that didn't hook you, the incredible level of density, with its palate coating richness and seamless over 60 second finish with all its velvet and silk textured fruits with their remarkable purity will. This is a future legend of Bordeaux. If decadent drinking is your thing, this belongs in your cellar. The wine blends 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc.
May 10, 2019 - Bordeaux 2018 from barrel: some selections (Bordeaux): The wine results from a vintage of “contrast”, remarks owner Alexandre Thienpont. No Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend this year, as the vineyards were subjected to severe water stress. But water reserves that had built up over the spring enabled most other vines to cope with the stress, Thienpont explained. Certainly the 15% Cabernet Franc, harvested along with that of Cheval Blanc on 9 October (thankfully a bit of rain beginning of October helped to dilute a bit the wines), enhanced the blend with length and “pedigree” he said. The 40 hectoliters per hectare was a more than respectable yield for the vintage, with Merlots ensuring strength and opulence in this wine of 14.4% alcohol and low acidity. Lovely elegance, density and … length. 96-98+
April 19, 2019 - With a dark hue, the initial scent you'll notice is the robust floral crux before discovering the truffle, spice, cocoa, black plum, red fruit and licorice. Elegant, polished, silky, refined with a gorgeous sense of purity in the fruit, the wine has density but it also dances on tiptoe. The 2018 is a striking expression of Pomerol with a mix of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. The wine reached 14.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.78. Picking took place September 19 to October 10 and 65% of the harvest was used to produce the Grand Vin. 98-100 Pts
April 5, 2019 - Geproefd op Château Vieux Château Certan op vrijdag 05.04.2019.
70% Merlot en 30% Cabernet Franc.
Eerste keer (sinds 2011) dat alle Cab. Franc in de blend zit.
Zacht, zijde. Frisheid. Complexiteit. Hele prettige afdronk. Heel licht branderig en drogend op het einde. Rijp fruit, viooltjes. 3,78 pH . 3,35 g zuren/l
95-97