The 2005 Vieux Château Certan was picked from September 12 after cool nights had led to a slow accretion of concentration. "There was a lot of drought in 2005," Alexandre Thienpont recalls, "and it was a season a bit like 1982." This has a winsome bouquet, more powerful than the preceding 2004, as you would expect, laden with predominantly red fruit laced with anise and wilted rose petals. Impressive delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, fresh and sapid in style, more open than the bottle tasted four years earlier. It veers towards a more savory finish. Subtle, ferrous, almost meaty notes lend complexity and typicité. Persistent on the aftertaste, this is a VCC that is just getting going. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
The 2005 Vieux Château Certan was picked from September 12 after cool nights had led to a slow accretion of concentration. "There was a lot of drought in 2005," Alexandre Thienpont recalls, "and it was a season a bit like 1982." This has a winsome bouquet, more powerful than the preceding 2004, as you would expect, laden with predominantly red fruit laced with anise and wilted rose petals. Impressive delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, fresh and sapid in style, more open than the bottle tasted four years earlier. It veers towards a more savory finish. Subtle, ferrous, almost meaty notes lend complexity and typicité. Persistent on the aftertaste, this is a VCC that is just getting going. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
Jul 31st, 2024
VCC is my favourite Pomerol & @ £130 this shows how great an “off” vintage can be 👍 Awesome now & still keeps improving!
📍 Vieux Château Certan 2006
🏵 95-96 points
🍇 83% Merlot & 17% Cabernet Franc
🍷 Deep rich ruby
👃 Soft oaky smokey spiced dark plum & cherry in damp earth, prune, vanilla, liquorice, red currant, minerals, gravel & dark mocha w/ a blackcurrant tickle - divine nasal nymph 😎
👄 Med creamy silky smooth body of chewy spiced plum & blackcurrant in liquorice & mocha w/ a dark cherry compote touch
🎯 Long stewed dark plummy fruit earthy mocha dark berry/cherry chocy cake linger
VCC is my favourite Pomerol & @ £130 this shows how great an “off” vintage can be 👍 Awesome now & still keeps improving!
📍 Vieux Château Certan 2006
🏵 95-96 points
🍇 83% Merlot & 17% Cabernet Franc
🍷 Deep rich ruby
👃 Soft oaky smokey spiced dark plum & cherry in damp earth, prune, vanilla, liquorice, red currant, minerals, gravel & dark mocha w/ a blackcurrant tickle - divine nasal nymph 😎
👄 Med creamy silky smooth body of chewy spiced plum & blackcurrant in liquorice & mocha w/ a dark cherry compote touch
🎯 Long stewed dark plummy fruit earthy mocha dark berry/cherry chocy cake linger
1 person found it helpfulSep 6th, 2018
2005; really elegant, with pretty red fruit and cedar aromas. In its wheelhouse now. Drink@over the next 5-7 years.
2005; really elegant, with pretty red fruit and cedar aromas. In its wheelhouse now. Drink@over the next 5-7 years.
1 person found it helpfulJun 1st, 2017
Pomerol, Libournais, Bordeaux, France
