2023 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol
100
James Suckling
Review Date: 12/2025Read All Reviews
Perfect aromas of ripe, pristine blueberries, subtle black olives, raspberries, violets, minerals, lavender and sandalwood. The finesse, depth and grace are mesmerizing. It's medium-bodied with incredible energy and length. A masterpiece in subtly. Can't get better than this. 82% merlot and 18% cabernet franc. Lovely to drink now, but it will age beautifully.
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Price: $299.99
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Professional Reviews
99
Decanter
Review Date: 02/2026
Deep and heady aromatics, so perfumed with floral blackcurrant at the fore. Round and filling, tannins upfront and present, cushioning, pillowy and fleshy. This is full and immediate, packed with intensity and purpose. Great depth of fruit - layers of dark bramble berries - but it’s the tannins and overall sensation that is just amazing, yet there’s still an edge of precision and sharpness that defines the finish. A real benchmark. A wonderful wine. Concentrated, fresh, very Pomerol. No Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend this year. (GH)
97-
99
The Wine Independent
Review Date: 05/2024
A blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc, Vieux Chateau Certan 2023 has a pH of 3.74 and it is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of fresh blackberries, juicy plums, and black cherries slowly emerge from the glass, opening out to fragrant notes of violets, star anise, and black truffles, followed by wafts of wood smoke and cardamom. The medium-bodied palate is taut and muscular with firm, rounded tannins and seamless acidity, finishing with many, many layers of earth, spice, and floral notes. This is pure latent power. (LPB) 97-99+
98
Vinous
Review Date: 03/2026
The 2023 Vieux Château Certan is wonderfully complex and dynamic in the glass. The layers here are just remarkable. That sort of dimension is one of the qualities that was hard to come by in 2023. Dark blue-toned fruit, lavender, scorched earth, new leather and menthol soar, lending tons of vertical, explosive energy. Floral and savory overtones develop with air, adding further shades of nuance. What a gorgeous and complete wine this is. (AG)
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Staff Reviews
Every once in a while, I get the chance to taste in the humble cellars of Vieux Chateau Certan, where Alexandre Thienpont lets the wines speak for themselves, and they not only speak with volume, but also great harmony. The 2023 is such a wine, one that just puts a smile on your face. Thienpont called this vintage "back to Bordeaux," capturing the classic notes of a fine VCC. The most vibrant wine aromatically of perhaps the whole vintage, it had wild aromas of bright fruit, florals, and a deep clay minerality. On the palate it is layered, with perfect fruit, balanced and seamless texture, and refreshing acidity. The finish is long, and each smell/sip brings another nuance. It's a wine you want to spend time with. 2023 Vieux Chateau Certan is a brilliant Pomerol and a success by any measure.
Notes
Long established on Pomerol’s gravel and clay plateau, Vieux Château Certan has been in the Thienpont family since 1924. The grand vin is typically built around Merlot with Cabernet Franc playing a significant role, drawn from a small, old-vine estate near several of the appellation’s most famous addresses.
Product Details
Origin: Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
Type/Varietal: Merlot
SKU: #2008125