Château Vieux Castle Certan - Pomerol 2013

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byNeal Martinthe10/28/2016

The 2013 Vieux Château Certan has plentiful fruit on the nose considering the vintage: raspberry coulis, crushed strawberry and a touch of blackcurrant pastilles. The palate is medium-bodied and while it might not rank with the greatest VCC's of recent years in terms of complexity, there is admirable depth and purity with a crisp, almost edgy finish that leaves you wanting another sip. This comes recommended for the vintage and I suspect it will give 12-15 years of drinking pleasure.

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

the3/31/2016

Jamessuckling.com

91 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/15/2016

This is soft and silky with chocolate, orange peel and dust. Medium body, round and light tannins. Fresh finish. Drink now.

Wine Advocate

87-88 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/29/2014

Approximately 1,000 cases of the 2013 Vieux Chateau Certan (versus the normal 4,000 cases) were produced. Alexandre Thienpont told me that yields were 22 hectoliters per hectare, and the final blend was unusual in that it was 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. The alcohol was a surprisingly lofty 13%. While charming, tasty and elegant, this wine does not possess the depth, fat or texture of a great vintage. The tropical September that spawned botrytis throughout Bordeaux vineyards had to be cut out, and the result was a ridiculously small crop that cost a fortune to produce, but will never sell for a high price since it is a good rather than exceptional wine. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

87-90 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/16/2014

(92% merlot and 8% cabernet franc):  Bright ruby.  Perfumed, very pure aromas of raspberry, blackcurrant and violet.  Enters the mouth bright and fresh, with juicy small red and dark berry flavors complicated by hints of iron and cedar.  The finish is long and a little austere.  Another solid 2013 wine that is only missing the fruit and charm of the better vintages.  Interestingly, while many in Bordeaux (Medoc estates included) are starting to increase their use of cabernet franc, even if only by small amounts, at VCC the percentage of this variety seems to be decreasing almost every year.

timatkin.com

92 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe5/7/2014

At one point there was a rumour that, like its sister property Le Pin, VCC wouldn’t show its wine en primeur. But they proved to be wrong, even if quantities are small. It’s fine and refreshing, with granular tannins, good acidity and a grassy undertone.

matthewjukes.com

18,5 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe4/23/2014

(92 Merlot, 8 Cabernet Franc) The selection was so severe here that only a fifth of the crop was made. In 2013, 1000 cases of VCC will be released compared to 5000 in a normal year. There were big problems at flowering here - they lost half the crop. After an average August the awful September came. They sorted the fruit on the vine but decided very early on that 2/3 would be made into the second wine Gravette. The Grand Vin, with its dominant Merlot theme, is truly magnificent. It is one of the most compelling wines of the vintage. The poise, balance and freshness are in a class of their own. There is nobility here and the counterpoint between darkness and levity is arresting. Sleek, controlled, polished and cool, the crunch of tannin is thrilling. The aromatic lift on the nose is sets the whole wine up. There are fleeting moments of exotic perfume tempered by restraint and calm. I love it. Nb Gravette will be around 50:50 this year.

Vinous

90-92 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/18/2014

The 2013 Vieux Chateau Certan is a wine of extraordinary finesse and elegance. Blue and purplish-toned fruits, violets, lavender, sweet spices and mint are woven together in a fabric of stunning beauty. The 2013 is translucent, weightless and simply impeccable throughout. Clearly, the structure is that of an average year, but the sheer beauty is that of a superb site. There is so much to like here

Decanter.com

17,5 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/15/2014

Less than 1,000 cases – 4,000 in a normal year. Mainly (92%) Merlot. Suave  texture. Rich and ripe. Structured palate but a little less definition. Very  good all the same

My Bettane + Desseauve

17,5 / 20

the4/15/2014

Les Thienpont ont attendu le mois de février pour décider s’ils feraient ou non du vieux-chateau-certan cette année. Au final, la sélection est drastique : un cinquième seulement du volume habituel. Mais l’onctuosité alliée à la fraîcheur délicate offre un profil mémorable au vin. Le fruit est d’une grande maturité, le tanin a de la rondeur et l’ensemble dévoile une vraie persistance aromatique.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/15/2014

The Vieux Château Certan 2013 is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc picked from 30 September until 9th October at 22hl/ha. It has a lovely, pure bouquet with small red cherries, rose petals and mineral that has exquisite delineation, though it does not possess the profundity of a top tier VCC. The palate is precise on the entry, a little pinched perhaps but with aeration it unfurls nicely. There is great tension here: a streamlined VCC that has the precision of a Swiss watch and a sense of tension that Hitchcock would have been proud of.

Jamessuckling.com

90-91 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/8/2014

Another lively 2013 with lemon peel, minerals and blueberries. Medium body with fine tannins and a bright, delicious finish. Delicate. Tangy and bright. Only 1,000 cases instead of the usual 4,000. 92% merlot and 8% cabernet franc.      

René Gabriel

17 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/4/2014

92 % Merlot, 8 % Cabernet Franc. Dunkles Granat, recht satt in der Mitte, rubiner Rand. Eine Delikatesse, schwarze Kirschen, feine Kräuter, helles Malz, Darjeelingtee und Earl Grey. Im feinen, relativ langen Gaumen ist es einer der seidigsten Pomerols, mittleres Extrakt mit Brombeeren und Cassisnuancen, nicht viel Druck, aber doch sehr lange

Wine Spectator

90-93 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2014

Shows lovely blue and purple fruit, with a decidedly floral feel. Very expressive in terms of aroma. Long and refined through the finish, delivering polish and a lingering tobacco profile, echoing gently. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Tasted non-blind. —J.M.

Wine Enthusiast

94-96 / 100

byRoger Vossthe3/31/2014

This is a wonderfully perfumed wine, with fine tannins and delicious juicy fruit on the palate. Low yields have produced a complex and fine wine, with concentrated, spiced black-fruit notes.