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Vieux Château Certan 2014

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc

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Tasting Notes

One of the unquestioned stars of the vintage, the 2014 Vieux Château Certan soars out of the glass with aromatic intensity, bright acids and finely sculpted fruit. Cool, intense but very much reserved in the style of the year, the 2014 exudes class. The flavors are intense and vibrant throughout. Dark red and purplish-hued stone fruit, lavender, mint and spice lead into the striking finish. The 2014 is just as impressive today as it was from barrel. As always, Vieux Certan has the rare ability to confer power without excess weight. The 2014 is a magical bottle. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. The blend is back to classic proportions of 80 % Merlot and 20 % Cabernet Franc.

97+
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, February 2017

The 2014 Vieux-Château Certan has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, clove and truffle aromas, nicely defined though it seems to have closed up a little since I tasted it just after bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a keen thread of acidity. The palate shows the real potential, more than the nose at the moment. There is wondrous linearity and precision and it finishes with haunting grace. At this tasting I marked this lower than I wanted because it just continuously improved in the glass after I announced my score to the group. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2022 - 2050

96
Neal Martin, vinous.com, March 2018

This is so gorgeous with black truffles, stones and subtle blackberries. Black mushrooms, too. Full-bodied, so dense and deep with very silky tannins and an endless finish. The density of fruit is superb. Truly irresistible. Drink in 2022 but already wonderful to drink.

97
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2017

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2014 Vieux Chateau Certan is a little shy to start, offering up faint notes of candied violets and licorice opening out to a core of preserved plums and Christmas cake plus a waft of sandalwood. The full-bodied palate delivers a refreshing backbone and fine-grained tannins to support the taut, powerful black fruits, finishing long and earthy.

97
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, March 2024

Tasted blind. Bloody and savoury. Chewy and lots of pinched tannin. Some veginess. Mean and tart at the moment.
Drink 2024-2036

16
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2018

Alexandre Thienpont has been making sensational VCCs for several years from the venerable old vines of this exceptionally well situated vineyard. The youngest Merlots were planted in 1959 and the youngest Cabernet Francs in 1948. This is one of the great properties of Pomerol and it normally has a high (for the appellation) percentage of Cabernet in the blend. Deep ruby colour. Very aromatic, floral, enticing nose with layers of plum, mulberry and graphite. Very intense, fresh and cool on the palate, with soft, silky and polished tannins. There is a vibrant blueberry, violet, and black chocolate core to the palate. The pure Merlot fruit is bolstered with a well measured use of lightly toasty oak. This is clean, balanced and elegant with real precision on a long, enduring finish. Very focused, pure and unforced. Impressive.

95
Farr Vintners, March 2015

Gorgeous, with a core of remarkably pure blackberry, raspberry and black currant fruit wrapped up in a fresh tobacco leaf accent. Everything is carried by silky yet persistent tannins, while the finish lets suave warm stone and singed juniper details fill in. Shows some coiled-up energy, which should make for fun cellaring. Best from 2020 through 2035. 3,167 cases made.

96
James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com, February 2017

Fragrant floral the nose has charm the palate a mix of black fruits layers of flavours freshness yet richness. Ripe fruit enriches the mid palate fleshy and supple but it is lighter at the back with black cherry underpinned by bramble the finish long and elegant. 2022-40

91/95
Derek Smedley MW, April 2015

"Very happy given what it could have been," is owner Alexandre Thienpont's modest comment on his own wine. Silky, refined and elegant, this is fresh and very aromatic, with fine tannins that build on the palate. Very Pomerol, but above all very VCC, it's grassy, complex and well balanced.

95
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2015
95
Decanter.com, April 2015
Read more tasting notes...

The 2014 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked in three stages: 19-20 September, 29 September to 2 October, and 7 and 8 October. The yields came in at 38.7 hectoliters per hectare with 13.4% alcohol. It was one of my stars of the vintage and now in bottle, I find no reason to change that. It is endowed with an exquisite bouquet, really one of the best I encountered throughout my tastings: perfumed blackberry, wild strawberry, cold stone and wilted rose petals. Like in barrel, it is not powerful, yet it is blessed with wondrous precision. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity and fine tannin, a slightly masculine VCC due to its linearity and precision. There is tension here from start to finish, a sophisticated and cerebral Pomerol that transcends the growing season. It is a totally different kettle of fish to the 2015 (and doubtless the pre-natal 2016). This is unashamedly classic in style, fanning out towards the mineral-rich finish with great frisson and energy. A cellar without the 2014 Vieux-Château-Certan would be a great pity. Drink date 2020 - 2050

96
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (Interim En), April 2017

The Vieux Château Certan 2014 is a blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Franc, picked in three stages: 19-20 September, 29 September to 2 October and 7 and 8 October. The yields came in at 38.7 hectoliters per hectare with 13.4% alcohol. Noticeably deep and clear in color, the nose takes time to “rev up” but stick with it because it eventually reveals exquisite pure blackberry and briary scents. It is not a powerful set of aromatics but they are so finely tuned and pretty. The palate is one of the best you will find this vintage: very precise and focused, here the intensity delivered by that Cabernet Franc, complex and cerebral like the best VCC’s. Truffle, blackberry, woodland aromas waft temptingly from the glass and there is the perfect balance of sweetness and reserve to beg another sip. Alexandre and his son, Guillaume Thienpont may have overseen the best wine of the vintage. Drink: 2018 - 2035

95/97
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (218), April 2015

There's a purity of fruit in this wine that shows the soil and uniqueness with wet earth, tobacco, mushroom and red fruits. Full and silky with fine tannins and a fresh finish. The 20% cabernet franc makes this wine great. It's like a wonderfully cut ruby.

95/96
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2015

Bright mid crimson. Light, fresh and pretty strong Cabernet Franc on the nose. Tight and disciplined with a firm backbone. But certainly enough flesh. Firm finish. Very persistent.

17.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, March 2017

80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 38.7 hl/ha, IPT just 63, TA 3.68 g/l (= 5.63 g/l expressed as tartaric).
Multi-dimensional. Intense and super-healthy nose. Intense and wonderfully round and fresh. Lifted and frisky. Wonderful undertow. His just-deceased oenologue (since 1962/63) would be delighted with this wine of haute cuisine, racy but round and properly full of complex fruit. Complete. 13.4%
Drink 2023-2036

18.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2015
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.