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Vieux Château Certan 2020 75cl

AOC | Pomerol | Bordeaux | France
CHF 355.65
Critics scores
98 Vinous
A powerful, vertical wine, the 2020 Vieux Château Certan is endowed with tremendous intensity right out of the gate. Everything about the 2020 is dialed up. The fruit is huge, as are the tannins. Black cherry, licorice, new leather, spice and bittersweet chocolate saturate the palate in a wine that conveys opulence from start to finish. Yields were just 30 hectoliters per hectare, well below the norm of 40-42. The blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, in other words a high percentage of Franc. There is no Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend this year, the result of dehydration on the vine. The 2020 is fabulous. I can't wait to taste it from bottle.
97 Robert Parker
A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Vieux Château Certan bursts with aromas of blackberries, sweet spices, rose petals, orange zest, burning embers and violets framed by a deft application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's rich and layered, with a more broad, unctuous profile than the pure and refined 2019, concluding with a long, resonant finish. This is more immediate out of the gates than the 2019, and I suspect it will not prove quite as long lived, but it is a terrific effort from the Thienpont family.
97 Robert Parker
A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Vieux Château Certan bursts with aromas of blackberries, sweet spices, rose petals, orange zest, burning embers and violets framed by a deft application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's rich and layered, with a more broad, unctuous profile than the pure and refined 2019, concluding with a long, resonant finish. This is more immediate out of the gates than the 2019, and I suspect it will not prove quite as long lived, but it is a terrific effort from the Thienpont family.
97 James Suckling
Restrained minty notes with cassis, anise and clove, straw and assertive balsamic character. Full-bodied with a milk-chocolate flavor coming through and youthful tannins that are still oaky and chewy. The acidity drives long and gives a crunchy, ripe aftertaste. Still austere, but there’s a lot of good substance for the long haul. Just a little warming. There is no cabernet sauvignon in this vintage. Best after 2030.
Producer
Vieux Château Certan
Pomerol’s most welcoming estate, Vieux Château Certan is also one of the oldest and most prestigious in the appellation. Founded in the mid-1700s, George Thienpont, a popular Belgian wine merchant bought the Right Bank property in 1924. Today, his grandson, Alexandre Thienpont and his own son, Guillaume build on the successes of past generations, preserving the family’s art de vivre. Over the past 30 years, Alexandre has led with the upmost attention to detail, from vine to bottle. He established environmentally friendly techniques which allows the fruits’ natural personality and character to shine. Today, he continues to produce Pomerol’s best expressions of finesse and elegance. Planted amongst the greatest wine-growing terroirs, the 14-hectare single-vineyard plot is located in the heart of the Pomerol Plateau. The dense and powerful structure of their wines are a culmination of their unique terroir and the rather large proportions of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon plantings. The Grand Vin, Vieux Château Certan maintains its high-class ranking year after year, becoming very refined and harmonious after a decade of patience.