2005 Pomerol, Vieux Château Certan
About Producer
Vieux Château Certan’s vineyard covers 14ha in one single block, adjoining Petrus, La Conseillante and L’Évangile, on gravelly soil with a subsoil of iron-enriched clay. Average age of the vines is 50 years old and 2/3 of the vineyard was replanted after the 1956 frost, with some old parcels dating from 1932 and 1948. Founded in the early 16th century by the Demay family who came from Scotland to settle in Pomerol, this estate was acquired in 1924 by Georges Thienpont, a wine négociant from Etikhove, in Belgium. Since 1985, it is his grandson, Alexandre, who is in charge of the estate. Upon his arrival, Alexandre introduced the 2nd label, La Gravette de Certan, initiated thorough renovations, took actions to reduce yields and brought more precision to viticultural practices. Now assisted by his son Guillaume, Alexandre consistently sticks to his philosophy that great wines have to ‘respect the place they come from’, and ‘avoid pretence and manipulation’. No wonder VCC is now firmly among the Pomerol elite.
Varietals
Blend of 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc.
About Appellation
Pomerol has 792ha of vines sitting on a diverse range of gravel, sand and clay soil types. Vines were initially planted by the Romans and further expanded in the 12th century by the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem. Devastated during the Hundred Years' War and successive wars of religion, the vineyards were eventually reconstituted in the 15th and 16th centuries, when the Knight Hospitallers set up their first Commanderie in Libourne to welcome pilgrims travelling along the Way of Saint-James to Santiago de Compostela. Home to the top properties is a small plateau of 20ha at the eastern section of the appellation described as a 'boutonnière' (buttonhole) of blue clay, known as 'molasse', sitting on top of a band of sand and gravel rich in iron oxide, known as 'crasse de fer'. Merlot is the dominant grape variety, with cabernet franc playing a supporting role.
Tasting Notes
Alluring nose of dark fruits, roasted herbs, toasted bread, sweet spices, cigar box, tilled earth and crushed flowers, sleek mouthfeel with satiny texture, remarkable concentration and excellent purity, multilayered flavours of black cherry, black currant, dark chocolate, truffle, liquorice, anise and mint liberally laced with stony mineral undertones, racy acidity and fine-grained tannins carrying through a long, savoury finish. Having started to come round, this 2005 is a magnificent wine striking a faultless balance between controlled power and captivating grace. Rich and intense yet without ever straying into opulent or unctuous, it is a very harmonious VCC with an astonishing finesse reminiscent of a top wine from the Médoc. (12/2022)