"An extraordinary effort, the wine is almost opaque in color. Its bewitching perfume offers a bouquet of flowers, black, red and blue fruits, chocolate, spices, espresso and truffles. Incredibly concentrated, yet equally light, the wine is effortless to drink. With polished, velvety textures and fruits that express purity, combined with spices, chocolate, damp earth and sensuality. The finish crosses the 60-second mark and never stops! It's a youthful look at one of Vieux Château Certan's legendary future vintages. If this is your thing, and if you can afford it, buy it now because prices will only go up from here." (Jeff Leve 2023) - Delivery in wooden case possible for orders of 6 bottles of this wine (depending on country and shipping method selected)
Features
Estate
Vieux Château Certan
Vintage
2020
Designation
Pomerol
Region
Bordeaux
Grape varieties
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Terroirs
Clay (70% Merlot), clay-gravel (25% Cabernet Franc) and very gravelly (5% Cabernet Sauvignon) soils.
Viticulture
Traditional and meticulous
Harvest
At optimum maturity
Winemaking
In temperature-controlled oak vats (at 28°C) for gentle, measured extraction
Breeding
18 months in barrel (65% new)
Alcohol content
14,5%
Tasting & pairing
Eye
Purple color with rare depth
Nose
Delicious aromas of ripe fruit, flowers and chocolate
Mouth
Remarkable balance between freshness and concentration, revealing all the qualities of a great wine for laying down.
Serve
Decant at 16-17°C
Open
2-3 hours before
Drink from
2028
Drink before
2055+
Guard
2070
Food and wine pairing
Accompanies beef filet en croûte, rack of lamb, woodcock with foie gras...
Old Chateau Certan
Pomerol
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
4-star rated estates (top-quality producers, the glories of French winegrowing)
About the domain :
Owned for almost a century by the Flemish-born Thienpont family, this estate is one of Pomerol's superstars. Here, Merlot accounts for only 65% of the grape varieties, and excels on the clay soils close to Petrus. The 35% and 40% Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon come from predominantly gravelly soils. These two grape varieties make all the difference over time, allowing the wine to evolve like a great Médoc, a fact unique to Pomerol Vieux Certan, which gains velvety density after ten years or so. Alexandre Thienpont, ably supported by his son Guillaume, is able to play on several registers: ultra-refined tannin, suave texture and aptitude over time, as this cru is one of those that evolve best in Pomerol. The cru's consistency is proverbial. While 2016, 2015, 2011 and 2005 will go down in Pomerol legend, this cru is one success after another, flirting with absolute peaks, which justifies its price tag of over 300 euros.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Domaine noté Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (guide 2024 ) 99/100
Domaine rated (guide 2022) 3*Stars (They represent the excellence of the French vineyard. The best terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wines is always a magical experience)
About the wine:
Sovereign, voluble, lavishly fruity, hedonistic without ever forcing the issue, 2020 adds a special seduction to the eminently racy style of wines from the Thienpont family estate. It is even more spectacular in bottle than during the en primeur tastings.
About the domain :
Located in the heart of the Certan plateau, on plots of both gravel and clay, Vieux Château Certan boasts an exceptional heritage of old vines. While the blend is classically dominated by Merlot, it's the Cabernets that give it its unique character, although they sometimes penalize it during en primeur tastings - the wine lacks the immediate fleshiness of some of its neighbors. However, it doesn't lose weight during ageing, and even gains in definition after five years. It then ages like a great Medoc, retaining its fabulous freshness. Since 2011, Guillaume Thienpont, oenologist and engineer, has joined his father Alexandre in managing the family estate. The cru has demonstrated exceptional consistency, and recent vintages have earned it a well-deserved third star.
Wine Enthusiast
Domaine noté Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Wine Enthusiast)
Vinous A. Galloni
Rated wine (guide 2022) 99/100 (Antonio Galloni)
About the wine:
Vieux Château Certan 2020 is a wine of total harmony and finesse. Absolutely nothing is out of place. Supple and seamless, this 2020 is a baby, but it's so impressive. Crème de cassis, lavender, mocha and licorice are just some of the many notes that emerge from the glass, but more than anything, this 2020 is a majestic Pomerol that will thrill those lucky enough to own it. There's not much more to say. 2030 - 2070
James Suckling
Wine rated (guide 2023 ) 99/100
Recommended area
About the wine:
A true Pomerol with aromas and flavors of dark berries, chocolate, hazelnut and walnut. Dark fruit. Crushed stone. Full and intense, with great concentration. Powerful, but so balanced and intense. Juicy midpalate. Fantastic length. Great clarity. Drink after 2028.
Terre de Vins
Wine rated (guide 2021) 98-99/100
About the wine:
"VCC" is once again one of the vintage's great successes. The unmistakable nose is delicate and suspended, at first seemingly reserved (which, as we know, contributes to its charm) before revealing floral aromas, with chamomile standing out. The palate is a model of elegance, all silky touch: luscious, rolling, thirst-quenching, radiant, it stretches endlessly to our delight. No seam or roughness disturbs the delicious course of this wine full of life and grace. Would it be trivial to say that we can't wait to drink it?
Yves Beck
Rated wine (guide 2022 ) 99/100
About the wine:
The bouquet is dense and precise, revealing a multitude of elements, from the floral nuances to the ripe, inviting Merlot. Beautiful density on the palate, where the wine stands out for its power but also its tension. A goldsmith's wine, very precise, complete, compact, which needs time in the cellar. A great success. 2030 - 2050
The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve
Wine rated (guide 2023) 100/100
About the wine:
An extraordinary effort, the wine is almost opaque in color. Its bewitching fragrance offers a bouquet of flowers, black, red and blue fruits, chocolate, spices, espresso and truffles. Incredibly concentrated, yet equally light, the wine is effortless to drink. With polished, velvety textures and fruits that express purity, combined with spices, chocolate, damp earth and sensuality. The finish crosses the 60-second mark and never stops! It's a youthful look at one of Vieux Château Certan's legendary future vintages. If this is your thing, and if you can afford it, buy it now, because prices will only go up from here. Drink between 2027 and 2065.
Customer reviews
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