Vieux Château Certan - Pomerol 2015

Vinous

97

par Neal Martin le 10/07/2019

The 2015 Vieux-Château-Certan is clearly very sophisticated on the nose, tight at first but opening with graphite and crushed stone infused black fruit. Brilliant delineation and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a wonderful bead of acidity. There is beguiling symmetry from start to finish that underpins this top Pomerol. One of the finest VCCs of the modern age. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

Jeb DUNNUCK

100

par Jeb Dunnuck le 01/03/2019

I was able to taste both the 2015 and 2016 grand vins, and these are heavenly, magical wines that could not be any better. Starting with the 2015 Vieux Château Certan, it shows the opulent, flamboyant style of the vintage to a T and reveals a saturated purple/ruby color, a monster bouquet of blackberries, tobacco, kirsch, dried spices, and loamy earth, full-bodied richness, sweet tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. A thrill a minute, wine doesn’t get any better, and I only wish every reader could taste this beauty. Drink it any time over the coming 30 years or more.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

17,5

par Jean-Marc Quarin le 01/04/2018

Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez au fruité pur et mûr, fin et subtil. Superbe bouche moelleuse et parfumée, qui offre un goût noble et éclatant à partir du milieu de bouche et jusqu'en finale. Cette seconde partie de bouche lui donne toute sa personnalité. C'est superbe, long et même gras! Assemblage : 80% merlot, 19% cabernet franc et 1% cabernet sauvignon - Degré d'alcool: 14,6] - pH: 3,72 - IPT : 83. Sélection : 75% de premier vin.

Wine Advocate

99

par Neal Martin le 02/03/2018

The 2015 Vieux Chateau Certan was bottled in mid-May as usual. This was one of the wines of the vintage out of barrel, and now it has a compelling bouquet with blackberry, smoke and iris. There is wonderful delineation here, a cerebral bouquet that is quite mercurial in the glass, traces of black truffle emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and just a killer line of acidity, a Vieux Chateau Certan surfeit with energy and joie de vivre. It fans out in glorious, almost swaggering fashion with truffle and white pepper, a touch of truffle on the persistent finish. This is clearly destined to be one among the canon of legendary wines from the estate although it does deserve requisite cellaring. This is one of the wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2025 - 2055. 

Vinous

100

par Antonio Galloni le 27/02/2018

The 2015 Vieux Château Certan is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich, sumptuous and explosive in the glass, the 2015 is pure class. The flavors are deep and boldly sketched in this sumptuous, spectacularly ripe Pomerol. Inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, lavender, licorice and menthol all develop in the glass, but it is the wine's textural richness and intensity that stand out most. As good as the 2015 is today, it is going to need at least 15-20 years to be at its very best. Is there anything more I can ask of the 2015? No, there is not. This is a tremendous showing.

Wine Spectator

97

par James Molesworth le 15/02/2018

Expressive and alluring aromas of warm plum reduction and boysenberry puree lead off here, followed by fleshy, seamlessly layered notes of blackberry, black currant, melted black licorice and smoldering tobacco. Shows a lovely tug of dark earth through the finish without sacrificing a sense of polish or giving ground to the waves of fruit. Displays terrific latent energy through the finish. Best from 2023 through 2040. 3,750 cases made.  –JM

Jamessuckling.com

100

par James Suckling le 12/02/2018

The blackberries, blueberries, oyster shell and violets are so mesmerizing. Full-bodied, focused and deep. It takes you to another space and plane. Dried flowers and dark fruit. The tannins are perfectly crafted. Keeps going as you taste it. Drink in 2023 but why wait?

Decanter.com

97

par Jane Anson le 26/01/2018

The VCC vineyard is split across 23 plots, with many of them increasingly sub-divided even further, and once again this extreme attention to detail has resulted in one of the most classically structured wines in Pomerol, likely to be extremely long living. Finesse, depth and complexity are all here in abundance. It has a floral attack with touches of wild rose and peony, leading into a palate of liquorice and bilberry with creamy, ripe tannins layered over. It has a welcome tightness, and a dark chocolate character on the finish. Bottled in May 2017.

Wine Advocate

98-100

par Neal Martin le 29/05/2016

The 2015 Vieux Château Certan is a blend of 80% Merlot,, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, cropped between September 17 and October 2 at 42 hectoliters per hectare. The IPT is healthy 83 and the pH is 3.72, the alcohol 14.6%. Enough statistics. What you need to know is that it is a beguiling Pomerol that will set hearts aflutter. It is bridled with a heavenly bouquet with intense red and black fruit, black truffle and a touch of smoke, opening wonderfully in the glass; the Cabernet Franc is very expressive and imparting a licorice note after ten minutes. The palate is medium-bodied with intensity, with a killer line of acidity that imparts freshness from the very start. There is life-affirming tension interwoven throughout this extremely complex wine from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont. There are layers, more like a mille-feuille of blackberry, boysenberry, mineral, truffle and a touch of spice towards the finish, just a touch of warmth from the alcohol that merely complements an extraordinary and profound Pomerol. Drink 2025-2060

The Wine Cellar Insider

97-99

par Jeff Leve le 30/04/2016

Fresh flowers, ripe, cherry blossoms, truffle, licorice and cocoa start off the perfume. This wine has volume, concentration and freshness. On the palate, it displays a beautiful sense of symmetry, purity, sweetness and billowy tannins, leaving you with richness of flavor, freshness of fruit and lush, palatial textures. If you’re a thinking man with a penchant for blissful pleasure, this is your Pomerol. Blending 80% Merlot with 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 14.6% alcohol with a pH of 3.72. Picking took place September 17 and September 18, September 22, 23 and September 28, finishing October 2. 75% of the harvest was included in the Grand Vin, which is much higher than usual.

Decanter.com

97

par James Lawther MW le 28/04/2016

This is a really complete wine with aromatic complexity, ripe fruit, beautifully suave texture and freshness and persistence on the finish. The tannins are abundant but fine, allowing the wine to build majestically on the palate. Harmonious as well. ‘It’s like 2010 with more Cabernet Franc (19%),’ says Alexandre Thienpont.2025-2045

Vinous

97-100

par Antonio Galloni le 27/04/2016

One of the most exotic, flamboyant wines of the year, the 2015 Vieux Château Certan is rich, unctuous and seamless, with stunning depth and exceptional textural richness. In 2015, VCC is unusually deep and powerful. A host of rose petal, lavender, mint, spice and plum notes meld together, but it is the wine's overall intensity and spherical structure that stand out most. The 2015 is freakishly rich and likely to require at least 15 years to lose some of its baby fat. It was absolutely stellar on both occasions I tasted it.

Jancis Robinson

18,5

par Jancis Robinson le 26/04/2016

Very intense nose with strong mineral notes - lots of Cabernet Franc influence. Massive impact with really luscious ripe fruit but massive tannins too. Very satiny initially but underneath there is massive tannin. Lovely fragrant top note. Beautifully married. Very sophisticated and with many layers. All vineyard not winemaking. Very savoury - very unlike Merlot stereotype. Drink 2025-2045.

timatkin.com

94

par Tim Atkin MW le 20/04/2016

Wine Enthusiast

98

par Roger Voss le 15/04/2016

97–99. Barrel Sample. This is a beautifully fragrant wine that has power along with an elegant acidity. It has wonderful juiciness that cuts through any of the tannins to give great freshness, a silky texture and fruitiness at the end. Perfumed and stylish, this is a very fine wine.

Jamessuckling.com

98-99

par James Suckling le 05/04/2016

A powerful and rich wine with super concentration and length. Deep and very rich. Glorious blackberry and black chocolate. Full and super velvety. A creamy texture of stone, chalk and lemon rind from the tannins and acidity. Wow. Loving it. The caressing character is so memorable. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc.