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100 Robert Parker
One of the wines of the vintage, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan unfurls in the glass with a striking bouquet of cassis and cherries mingled with notions of violets, loamy soil, sweet spices and incense. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it's seamless and enveloping, with a fleshy core of beautifully vibrant fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, this perfumed, sensual Vieux Château Certan is a remarkable achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.
100 Robert Parker
One of the wines of the vintage, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan unfurls in the glass with a striking bouquet of cassis and cherries mingled with notions of violets, loamy soil, sweet spices and incense. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it's seamless and enveloping, with a fleshy core of beautifully vibrant fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, this perfumed, sensual Vieux Château Certan is a remarkable achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.
98 James Suckling
Super-restrained and dark, concentrated blackcurrant on the nose, together with subtle licorice root, eucalyptus leaf and vibrant, earthy minerality. The rather austere character on the nose suggests a classy wine. The palate shows bright dark fruits with dense, ripe, large-grained and chewy tannins. Yet, super-refreshing and balancing acidity drives through the finish. Good, toasty and chocolatey aftertaste. All you expect from a top-class, young Pomerol. Best after 2035.
97 Wine Spectator
Allows glorious plum sauce, boysenberry puree and black cherry compote flavors to unfurl over a bed of velvety tannins, while subtle black tea, violet, alder and sweet tobacco notes flirt in the background. The finish is underscored by a subtle warm earth note, which adds latent length. A beauty. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040. —J.M.
97 Wine Spectator
Allows glorious plum sauce, boysenberry puree and black cherry compote flavors to unfurl over a bed of velvety tannins, while subtle black tea, violet, alder and sweet tobacco notes flirt in the background. The finish is underscored by a subtle warm earth note, which adds latent length. A beauty. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040. —J.M.
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.