Vieux Château Certan - Pomerol 2009

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 01/01/2013

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Merlot is completely in the driving seat here: fragrant and floral with rose petals, boysenberry fruit and a touch of leather. The palate is well balanced with good density, the tannins a little more succulent than its peers and the style erring more towards Saint Emilion. But it is very well balanced with a lavish, stylish finish. Tasted January 2013.

Wine Advocate

99 / 100

par Robert Parker le 29/02/2012

The 2009's nearly 14% natural alcohol, exquisite ripeness, and incredible complex bouquet of Asian spices, fruitcake, licorice, smoke, blackberries and black currants are to die for. A blend of 84% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it possesses a viscous texture as well as a freshness and vibrancy that are remarkable given the wine’s weight, richness and potential massiveness. This extraordinary effort is one of the finest Vieux Chateau Certans made over the last sixty years. It will undoubtedly shut down in bottle, requiring a decade or more of cellaring. It should keep for 50 years thereafter. Proprietor Thienpont thinks it is a modern day version of the 1948.

Jamessuckling.com

100 / 100

par James Suckling le 15/02/2012

This is a wine that had extreme intensity of electrifying tannins and acidity, with supercharged fruit. Full-bodied, yet agile and lively. It touches every taste bud on your palate. Chocolate mousse and fruit. I am lost for words. Legendary 1950 all over again. Try it in 2020.

Wine Spectator

91 / 100

par James Molesworth le 18/01/2012

This shows gorgeous silk and polish, brimming with beguiling plum, cherry eau de vie and red currant fruit flavors laced with supple toasty vanilla and cedar hints. But in the background brews a darker side, with loam, maduro tobacco and iron notes, which take over on the finish authoritatively. This feels like it will get a lot bigger before it fully melds—and that will be a while. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2018 through 2035.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

92-95 / 100

par Ian D'Agata le 30/06/2010

(a blend of 84% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon; 13.7% alcohol; pH 3.70; a 70% selection) Bright ruby-red. Aromas of strawberry, cocoa and minerals. Then very smooth, rich and sweet in the mouth, with fresh flavors of red berries, black cherry and cedar. Very nicely balanced but this will require time to reveal its inherent complexity. Finishes impressively long and clean, with a big but supple tannic structure. Alexandre Thienpont told me he had the same problem in 2009 as he had in '98, when the cabernet franc didn't ripen fully, though he's not sure why-hence the very low percentage of franc in the blend.

Le Figaro

93-97 / 100

par Bernard Burtschy le 30/06/2010

Connu pour la rigueur et la vigueur de ses cabernets, le château a élaboré son 2009 avec 84 % de merlot, ce qui est à la fois insolite dans un grand millésime de cabernet et lui donne un charme ravageur assez inhabituel qui a impressionné dans la dégustation en primeurs. Le 1998, qui était un peu dans la même configuration, n’a pas entièrement tenu les promesses de son charme précoce. Peut-être le 2009 prendra-t-il une autre voie ? Robe grenat. L’attaque en bouche est serrée, beau volume, tannique, les merlots prennent des airs de cabernet, assez long, un peu strict, mais du charme tout de même. 80 % merlot, 20 % cabernet-franc.

timatkin.com

98 / 100

par Tim Atkin MW le 30/06/2010

13.7% alcohol. 84 M, 8CF, 8CS Unusually low in Cabernet Franc because of water stress in part of the vineyard, but the sensuous Merlot more than compensates. More marked by oak than Le Pin, but also a bigger, more powerful wine. Sweet, succulent, harmonious palate with lovely acidity and a savoury notes from the Cabernet Sauvignon. The aim here was to avoid a “massive wine”. VCC succeeded. 20+ years.

La Revue du Vin de France

17,5-18,5 / 20

le 31/05/2010

Une parcelle de vieux cabernets francs, terrassés par un stress hydrique, n'a pu être incorporée à l'assemblage. Un grand regret pour cette propriété où les cabernets réussissent en général si bien (rappelez-vous le 1986!). Le rapport merlot/cabernet ressort à deux tiers/un tiers, un ratio inhabituel. Mêmes proportions pour le rapport bois neuf/bois usagé. Pur, fin, mais avec une force contenue.

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

par René Gabriel le 17/05/2010

84 % Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, Ertrag: 41 hl/ha. Dunkles Granat. Bereits beim Einschenken verströmt der Wein sein Parfüm von Karamell und Pralinen meterweit in den Saal, die Nase riecht erschrocken Nutella, doch dann kommt die Rafinesse von malzig-fetten Grundaromen, die diesem VCC ein derartig fülliges Bouquet bescheren, wie man es seit dem grossartigen 1998er nicht mehr gekannt hat. Am Gaumen setzt sich die opulente Fülle fort, aussen viel Schmelz, innen eine tolle Konzentration mit einer gewaltigen, warmen, malzig-schokoladigen, gebündelten Länge. Ein grosser, eleganter, konzentrierter, aber nicht massiver Wein. Bei 13,7 Vol.-% Alkohol ein wahres Kunststück. 2019-2038

Le Point

18,5 / 20

par Jacques Dupont le 06/05/2010

Nez discret, fin, bouche élégante, tanins fins, délicats, milieu de bouche très fin, mentholé en finale, sans dureté, très bien construit, des notes résine, long. O=2017 G=20 ans

TAST

18,5 / 20

par Bettane & Desseauve le 30/04/2010

Grand raffinement de texture, superbe entrée en bouche, suave et satinée, se développant sur un toucher caressant, fin et soyeux avec des notes de violette et de fruits noirs frais. Tannicité savoureuse et assez persistante, pour ce vin qui compte cette année 84% de merlot, 8% de cabernet franc et 8% de cabernet sauvignon.

Falstaff

97-99 / 100

par Peter Moser le 30/04/2010

Reife dunkle Beerenfrucht, sehr einladend, rauchige Würze. Stoffig, rund und gewürzig, schokoladige Textur, dunkle Beeren, mineralisch und anhaltend, hat Klasse, bleibt sehr gut haften, hoher Merlotanteil, ein Bombenwein.

Wine Advocate

96-99 / 100

par Robert Parker le 28/04/2010

A blend of 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a glorious bouquet of black currants, subtle smoke, charcoal, Christmas spices, and licorice. Massive, unctuously textured, and rich, but at the same time refreshing and vibrant, this extraordinary effort appears to be the finest Vieux Chateau Certan made in my lifetime. (Tasted once.) Proprietor Alexandre Thienpont told me he has never seen such weather and perfect grapes, and that one would have to go back as far as his grandfather’s time to find another weather scenario that so benefitted Bordeaux. With an off-the-chart index of tannin, with alcohol levels of 13.7 to 14 percent, and normal pH of 3.7, Vieux Chateau Certan has produced a 2009 that is equal to their four greatest vintages - 1945, 1947, 1948, and 1950. (96-99*) points

Anthony Rose

96-98 / 100

par Anthony Rose le 26/04/2010

70% of the harvest went into the Grand Vin, which comprises 84% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon. It’s 13.7% alcohol with 75% new oak. Some of the cabernet franc was declassified as it had suffered from drought stress and this is a common story among the better properties on the Right Bank. Dense and opaque in colour, very perfumed with fine integrated oak, the initial attack showing freshness and bite on the tongue, giving way to lovely sweetly ripe and opulent red fruits quality, a very nice tannic finesse and freshness, a lovely purity and seamless quality; the wine, feels juicy, sweet and opulent but not exaggeratedly so and not at the expense of freshness and backbone which come through strongly on the finish. 96-98+

Wine Spectator

97-100 / 100

par James Suckling le 09/04/2010

This has an incredible nose of chocolate and berries that turns to sweet tobacco and China tea leaves. Full-bodied, with a beautiful softness and silkiness that makes you want to keep tasting it. Goes on and on. 84 percent Merlot, 8 percent Cabernet Franc and 8 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jancis Robinson

18 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 08/04/2010

84% Merlot (mainly the 1942 plantings), 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Same blend as in 1998, oddly – which was their reference point for Merlot. pH 3.8, 40+ hl/ha compared with the very small vintages of 2008 and 2006. 'Now that we have a better cellar, we can take more risks. In old days we couldn’t have taken 09’s risks.' Unusually low proportion of Cabernet Franc; these particular old vines just did not deliver in 2009. Very dark – much darker than Le Pin. Very luscious – more like the nose you would expect of Le Pin! Very big and rich and full. Round and chewy and very very ripe but not heavy nor very hot. Splendid nose with great richness and savour but not excessive sweetness. Gouleyant. 13.7%. Drink 2016-2030