2024 Vieux Château Certan

James Suckling - 97-98

A really classic VCC with such delicious, crunchy fruit, showing blackberries, blueberries, violets and dried spices. Medium-bodied, vivid and lively, it has very fine tannins as well as energy and brilliance. So balanced and harmonious. A blend of 71% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 9% cabernet sauvignon.

Vinous - 95-97

The 2024 Vieux Château Certan contains a higher proportion of Cabernet this year (23% Sauvignon and Franc combined) that was picked at 30 hl/ha between September 20 to October 2. That Cabernet is articulated on the nose: graphite and light tobacco scents percolating through the mainly black fruit. This has plenty of freshness and more fruit than some other Pomerol cuvées. The palate is medium-bodied, but there is much more weight and density on the back palate than nearly all of its peers. Distinctly peppery and quite spicy in style, this is one of the few to transcend the strict limitations of the growing season. In some ways, it is an uncompromising VCC that does not have the finesse of the greatest vintages I have tasted over the years, yet there is flavour and substance packed inside this nascent wine. Deeply impressive. This is one of the very few '24s that will oblige bottle age.

Decanter - 95

Beautiful perfume and aromatic intensity on the nose. Such pristine aromatics. Clean blue fruits and soft saltiness. Bright and shiny straight away, a cool and crisp aspect to the fruit, you can feel the Cabernet density in terms of tannins, they fill the mouth with a crunchy and softly chalky texture with cherry and plum fruit aspects. It loses a little thrust, just softening towards the finish, but this has structure and concentration to the fruit. This has muscle, and a quiet confidence. Super elegant and a different touch than many in Pomerol. 3.70pH. A yield of 30hl/ha. And more Cabernet than usual at 9% instead of 5%.