Vieux Château Certan 2022

An aroma that gives you goosebumps; floral notes, blond tobacco, blackberry, cassis; dense palate, silky tannins, sensational tannins, as fine as a cashmere scarf that wraps around the fruit; a juicy-sweet fruit core, sublime length. A muscular, athletic Vieux Château Certan, clearly defined, with perfect balance. A blockbuster performance.

The 2022 Vieux Château Certan is deep and harmonious, unwinding in the glass with aromas of inky blackberries and cherries mingled with scents of burning embers, truffle and lilac. Full-bodied, dense and layered, it's rich and enveloping, its concentrated core of sweet fruit framed by powdery tannins and juicy acids. Integrated, complete and precise, this blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon is a brilliant vintage for Vieux Château Certan.

Sweet and spiced aromas of blackcurrant leaf, liquorice, clove, chocolate, espresso, and perfumed violets. A wine of brooding intensity, yet cool and refined, never heavy or overripe. The texture is like taffeta—broad, filling, yet light and bouncy. Layers unfold with a chewy yet cushioned density, deepening on the mid-palate with spiced liquorice and vertical depth, while the acidity pushes the fruit forward, creating a wide sphere of flavors and textures. Balanced and finessed, concentrated but never overpowering. Multi-dimensional, crystalline, juicy, and clean, it carries an effortless elegance. Less hedonistic than Le Pin but more suave, it knows its star power. Exceptional.

This is full-bodied with fine tannins that spread out across the palate, a dusty cashmere texture kicking in at the end. So caressing and pleasing, I can’t spit. Drink in 2029 and beyond.

75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample. Powerful yet elegant at the same time. Floral notes with a hint of violet. Enticing, juicy extract and tannins that are present but plush and smooth. Long and well balanced with grip on the finish. (JL)

There is no hotter wine from Pomerol than VCC today! And 2022 is a perfect example of why. Opaque in color, the nose explodes with its array of black, red, and blue fruits, dark chocolate, flowers, and truffles. There is so much intensity and concentration that it is hard to understand how everything remains perfectly balanced, as well as fresh. The sensuous, supple, and silky finish ends with a vibrancy to the fruits, a mild touch of salt, and a refreshing hint of mint on the back end. This future legend and candidate for wine of the vintage can age and evolve for decades. The wine blends 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2028-2065.

Deep dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the nose, intense aromas of ripe blackberry, plum and black cherry fruit, delicate nougat, a touch of fine oak and orange zest, with a floral background. The full-bodied palate is elegant with sturdy yet ripe and silky tannins, good freshness, and great balance with notes of black wild berries and nuances of chocolate, with a spicy, tremendously long finish. Certain ageing potential. (14.4% ABV, 75% Merlot/ 20% Cabernet Franc/ 5% Cabernet Sauvignon).

The 2022 Vieux Château Certan checks in as 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 18 months in two-thirds new French oak. Incredible aromatics of blackcurrants, mulled cherries, chocolate, woodsmoke, and flowery, spicy nuances all give way to a full-bodied Vieux Château Certan that builds incrementally on the palate, with flawless overall balance, a deep, layered mouthfeel, and velvety tannins. I love everything about this beauty, and while it's almost impossible to resist today, it's going to benefit from a decade in the cellar and shine for 40+ years.

Firm tannic frame, with ink, graphite, violet flowers and red roses, even hints of black truffles at this young age, a sign of the exuberance of the vintage and one that will no doubt increase with age. A little less Cabernet Franc in the blend than usual because they have one plot uprooted right now. The aromatics are exploding, but things are more serious on the palate, with grip and austerity, and it will need a good eight to ten years in bottle to soften. Beautiful nutmeg and clove spice, with a mouthwatering finish. 35 hl/ha yield. 65% new oak. Oldest vines date back to 1958. 75% new oak

Like a countryside getaway in a convertible on a summer’s day, with a parade of fleeting aromas: freshly cut grass, golden hay, ripe blueberry, and a rustic bouquet where a multitude of wildflowers mingle (tulip, field carnation). On the palate, it’s a true serenade: suave and caressing, it unfolds a majestic harmony of perfectly ripe fruit, melded into a silky, airy texture. A subtle minerality chisels the whole before fading into a saline, succulent, fluid finish with irresistible sapidity.