Vieux Château Certan 2025

An outstanding VCC this year and one of the picks of Pomerol. Deep aromatics of dark black fruit that stays cool with some liquorice and cola, plus a soft floral fragrance and chocolate creaminess. Inky and really vibrant colour in the glass. Smooth and supple, both creamy and chalky with black fruit and a heady savoury spiced aspect. I love the stickiness – there’s a chew but it remains cool and lifted, nothing heavy, more comforting like a big hug – velvety, charming and almost sensuous. Acidity doesn't stick out, the focus is on complexity and remarkable texture with ripe tannins. Density is there yet it doesn't feel heavy. Ends so cool with lots of cola, a touch of iron and stones, fresh mint and savoury herbaceousness. Absolutely beautiful, hedonistic and so long. 3.75pH. A yield of 22hl/ha. Ageing two thirds new oak, one third one-year-old barrels.

Violets, iris, black cherries, blue fruits, chocolate, cocoa, licorice, mint leaves, and truffles create the wine's complex aromatics. However, it is on the palate that the wine truly steals the show. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated, opulent, and palate-staining, the wine coats your mouth, teeth, and gums with layers of plums and cherries drenched in dark chocolate. The finish is intense, long, full, rich, deep, and seamless, and you will notice it in your glass. Part of the wine's success in 2025 was blending fruit from young vines planted in 2015, which helped achieve the drinkability you already find in your glass. The wine blends 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% ABV, 3.75 pH. The harvest took place September 8 - September 18. Yields were only 22 hectoliters. Drink from 2030-2065. 98-100 Pts

From the outset, the character of Cabernet Franc shows through with floral nuances such as peony and iris. They lend razor-sharp definition with a high-resolution feel. They are joined by notes of blackberry and blackcurrant (a nod to Cabernet Sauvignon) and sweet spices, completing the aromatic spectrum. With fine density, the wine follows a precise trajectory, led first by finesse, then by power, carrying the whole with accuracy and serenity. The tannins are finely grained, with texture and lift, yet perfectly integrated. They interact beautifully with the acidic framework, reinforcing tension and energy. The wine becomes bright, suave and exhilarating, sketching an irresistible, moreish personality. A truly great VCC, shining with freshness, vigor and coherence.

Fragrant, full of energy, dense with silky tannins, steals up on you as it opens, and this is a gorgeous wine that deserves attention. Chamomile, cumin, cassis, blackberry, cocoa bean, espresso, fresh thyme, tobacco, layered and luscious. This really stayed with me, and I absolutely recommend it, one of the wines of Pomerol in the vintage. Harvest September 8 to 18. Estate signature, 22hl/h yield, 3.75ph. The first year with Guillaume Thienpont fully in charge, although still working alongside his father Alexandre (who began with his own father in 1985).