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Reviews

98 -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -

Composed of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Vieux Château Certan sports a deep garnet-purple color. No mincing about, the bouquet absolutely prances out of the glass with stunning scents of candied violets, chocolate-covered cherries, roses and eucalyptus over a core of black plum preserves, mulberries, black raspberries and blueberry pie plus wafts of licorice, iron ore and truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic balance and expression, with very fine-grained, silt-like tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing with epic length and perfume.

98 -Jeb Dunnuck -

Possibly the wine of the vintage, the 2017 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from the highest point on the Pomerol plateau. Deep purple, with a heavenly bouquet of creme de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, crushed violets, tobacco, and earth, this beauty is full-bodied, has incredible depth of fruit, ripe, present tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish. This estate has been on fire of late, and this is undoubtedly a worthy follow-on to the otherworldly 2015 and 2016. It has the depth of fruit and texture to offer pleasure even today, yet a solid 7-8 years of cellaring are warranted, and it should be long-lived. Bravo!

98 -Wine Spectator -

This delivers a terrific rush of raspberry ganache and steeped plum fruit that holds center stage throughout, flanked by singed apple wood and dried anise notes and backed on the finish by hints of Lapsang souchong tea, warm fruitcake and mineral. A step ahead of the pack in this vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2040. 3,666 cases made.

97 -Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider -

Deep in color, the wine pops with the perfume of cocoa, flowers, black plums, truffle and licorice. From there you\'ll find depth and concentration of flavor. The fruit is dark, polished, sensuous, velvety and long. There is vibrancy, florality, old vine intensity and chocolate coated cherries in the finish -- a denouement that goes on for 50 seconds or more. Blending 81% Merlot with 14% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 14.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.75. Picking took place September 12, September 17, September 18 and October 2. It is interesting to note the picking dates and blends are quite similar to 2016. Sixty-seven percent of the harvest was included in the Grand Vin, which is much higher than usual.

96 -Wine Enthusiast -

96 -Vinous -

The 2017 Vieux Château Certan was picked from September 12. This has a perfumed and quite floral bouquet with blackberries and violets. It shows lovely definition and mineralité, that hint of wild heather coming through but none of the previous menthol scents. The palate is exceptionally well-balanced with chiseled tannins, which are a perfect bead of acidity. I adore how this gathers momentum towards the lightly spiced, persistent finish. This shows better than when I tasted it just after bottling six years ago, hence my higher score. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium.

96 -James Suckling -

Very dark crimson in the glass. Restrained clove and meaty tones, together with elegant and lifted bramble fruits, sweet violets and a touch of coconut. The leafy character here is just an undertone. Full-bodied with almost silky tannin at first, becoming dustier on the finish, with refreshing acidity. Savory, leathery palate that’s extracted yet polished. Full of tension, balancing the warming aftertaste. Drinkable now, but best in 10 years.

96 -Falstaff -

Deep, dark ruby with purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Fine savoury nuances, with hints of clove, blackberry, black cherry, and fresh orange zest. On the palate, it is complex and taut with a savoury core, firm, supporting tannins, and pleasant dark minerality, before a pronounced fruit finish. With savoury nuances and great length, it is a future classic of the house and is among the wines of the vintage.

93 -Decanter -

Even at three years old the aromatics are rich and fairly open, with touches of grilled cedar and dark berry fruits. Enjoyable if less powerful than many other years from this estate, given lift and focus by tight rosemary spice and tobacco leaf through the finish. This has a more exuberant feel than when just bottled while maintaining the pure focus to the fruit. No frost here, giving a pretty much normal yield of 37hl/ha. 3.75pH

Technical Details

Blend 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker Alexandre & Guillaume Thienpont
Country France
Region Bordeaux
Sub Region Right Bank
Appellation Pomerol
Vineyard Vieux Château Certan vineyard
Farming Method Sustainable Practices
Oak 70% new French oak barriques
Aging / Cooperage 14 months
Alcohol 13.9%
Production 3,666 cases

Vieux Château Certan Pomerol 2017

Name: Vieux Château Certan Pomerol 2017
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1015175
Price: 179.95 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Bordeaux Blends | Bordeaux

WA98, JD98, WS98, JL97, WE96, VN96, JS96, FS96, DC93

Sustainable Practices

$300.00

$179.95

750ML

40% OFF RETAIL!

VCC is one of Pomerol's most quietly extraordinary estates, and the 2017 landed triple 98s from Wine Advocate, Jeb Dunnuck, and Wine Spectator: a remarkable chorus of critical acclaim. This is Merlot dominant Bordeaux at its most cerebral, layered, precise, and hauntingly perfumed with the kind of structure that will still be talking in 2040. If you've ever wanted to understand why Pomerol inspires such obsession, this bottle is the answer.

About The Producer

Vieux Chateau Certan occupies one of the most coveted plots on the Pomerol plateau, situated on the high gravel terrace directly alongside Petrus. The estate's history stretches back to the sixteenth century, when it was the dominant property in the region, and the name itself reflects its age: Certan was once a single vast estate that was eventually subdivided, leaving Vieux Chateau Certan as the original mother property. The Thienpont family, who also own Le Pin, acquired the estate in 1924 and have never looked elsewhere. Today Alexandre Thienpont, who took over winemaking in 1985, oversees every aspect of the fourteen-hectare estate with a philosophy rooted in patience and restraint. Unlike many of its neighbors, Vieux Chateau Certan blends a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon alongside Merlot, giving the wines a structural complexity and aromatic elegance that sets them apart on the Pomerol plateau. The domaine consistently earns scores in the mid to upper nineties from the world's top critics and is widely considered among the very finest estates on the Right Bank. Both the 2017 and 2019 vintages are exceptional expressions of what this address is capable of.

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