This is glorious. Damsons and sloes, black and red cherries, violets, dried petals and saffron, cumin and curry leaf too – and then cedar and graphite from the Cabernet. Cool and fresh, lifted with cashmere tannins and a plunge-pool depth and elegance. Wonderfully harmonious, it flows across the palate in the most luxuriant way. The latest in a succession of great wines from VCC and probably the best of them all. (CH)

A wine I wasn't able to taste from barrel, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan is an awesome expression of Merlot that's as singular as they come. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a prodigious, deep, layered bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar pencil, and sappy spring flowers, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, multi-dimensional texture, a great mid-palate, no hard edges, perfectly integrated acidity, and a blockbuster of a finish. It shows the more ethereal, nuanced, elegant style of the vintage, both in its aromatics as well as on the palate, but it has classic Vieux Château Certan opulence and power. This heavenly wine is clearly in the same ballpark as the 2015, 2016, and 2018 and will probably merit a triple-digit rating at maturity. A decade of cellaring is advised, and it should be a 40-, 50-, if not 60-year wine. (JD) 98+

Super-restrained and dark, concentrated blackcurrant on the nose, together with subtle licorice root, eucalyptus leaf and vibrant, earthy minerality. The rather austere character on the nose suggests a classy wine. The palate shows bright dark fruits with dense, ripe, large-grained and chewy tannins. Yet, super-refreshing and balancing acidity drives through the finish. Good, toasty and chocolatey aftertaste. All you expect from a top-class, young Pomerol.