Vieux Chateau Certan 2006

Pomerol

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Tasting Notes
The 2006 Vieux Château Certan remains an outstanding proposition. It has an airy red cherry and raspberry bouquet, a hint of bergamot tea in the background, succinctly defined, even if the fruit needs some encouragement from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. The acidity is well judged, harmonious in the mouth, quite smooth with hints of truffle oil and white pepper towards the composed, quite sensual finish. Give this a couple of more years in bottle and then it should drink well for at least a couple of decades. Score: 96 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2018-2045 30 May 2016
Alexandre Thienpont is on a roll here: this is one of the finest Pomerol’s of the Appellation and could offer more quality per penny spent than any other. A gorgeous, opulent nose explodes from the glass and to be honest, you are in love straight away. Sweet black fruits laced with fig and dates, all with brilliant definition. The palate is very intense with rich, black fruits, slightly grainy tannins and wonderful poise. Blackberry, black tea, minerals and a touch of Xmas cake. Very intellectual, an utterly compelling Pomerol to treasure. Tasted April 2007. Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 03 May 2007
Good full red-ruby. Very sexy aromas and flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, roasted coffee, violet and licorice. Lush, silky and highly concentrated, with an utterly seamless texture to the middle palate. Wonderfully, ripe, broad, merlot-based wine; solid as a rock but utterly pliant. Finishes with captivating lingering sweetness, the broad tannins completely buffered by the wine's ripe fruit. I sucked up my bottle of this elixir with great pleasure, but it has the stuffing for long aging. Score: 94 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2009
One of the top wines of the vintage is the exquisite 2006 Vieux Chateau Certan. A blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, it is a stunningly rich effort boasting an inky/blue/purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of forest floor, coffee, toast, and extravagant levels of black currants and blackberries. Hints of charcoal and flowers add to the wine’s exquisite character. What’s remarkable in this full-bodied wine is that nearly 100% new oak is used, yet the oak is largely drowned out by the wine’s concentration and complex personality. This full-bodied Vieux Chateau Certan should be reasonably approachable in 3-4 years but last for at least three decades. This great success merits kudos to proprietor Alexandre Thienpont. Score: 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2011-2041 01 February 2009
A brilliant effort from Alexandre Thienpont, the 2006 Vieux Chateau Certan is atypically high in Merlot (85%), with the rest Cabernet Franc. A huge bouquet of cedar, coffee, black currants, cherries, and pain grille soars from the glass of this full-bodied, opulent, fleshy, lavishly endowed Pomerol. Yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare resulted in a production of only 3,000 cases. A bulked-up, improved version of the brilliant 1990, the 2006 should be at its peak between 2010-2030, and should eclipse their 2005. Bravo! Score: 94 - 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2010-2030 30 April 2007
Black chocolate and berry character on the nose follows through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a clean, caressing finish. Best after 2012.—J.S. Score: 95 James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+ 15 January 2009
Black chocolate and berry character on the nose follows through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a clean, caressing finish. Best after 2012. Score: 95 James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+ 15 January 2009
This has a beautiful core of berry, coffee and chocolate fruit. Full yet very balanced, with a velvety mouthfeel and a long, long finish. Extremely well made, with everything in proportion. Makes you want to drink it now. I haven't found many wines like this. 75 percent Merlot and 25 percent Cabernet Franc. Score: 95 - 100 James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2007
One of the richest, spiciest noses yet in Pomerol. Very sweet and sumptuous but with lots of freshness. Silky and generous and pure!!! Great red fruit freshness. Tension and density. Close-grained and glossy. A real treat. The wine of the vintage? 34 barrels had to be left out of the assemblage as they lacked sufficient character for true VCC. It was necessary to sort not just the bunches but even within the bunches. The key to this vintage was precision. Simple vinification, no overextraction, 8-10% saignée. Score: 18 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2012-2024 17 April 2007
One of the oldest estates in Pomerol, Vieux Chateau Certan’s reputation for excellence predates that of Petrus. In 2006, Alexandre Thienpont explained to us that strict selection was absolutely key to their success: due to rot, sorting was so severe that production was reduced by one third. The gamble has paid off as the 2006 is a wonderful success, though there will be just 3000 cases in 2006 (4200 in 2005). 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with incredible aromatics - really fine, ripe, fragrant fruit. Amazingly soft texture with deep red velvety fruit, minerality and real purity. Beautiful proportions with excellent freshness. Thrilling and delicious - hard to spit. Score: 94 - 97 Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2007

Tasting Notes

The 2006 Vieux Château Certan remains an outstanding proposition. It has an airy red cherry and raspberry bouquet, a hint of bergamot tea in the background, succinctly defined, even if the fruit needs some encouragement from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. The acidity is well judged, harmonious in the mouth, quite smooth with hints of truffle oil and white pepper towards the composed, quite sensual finish. Give this a couple of more years in bottle and then it should drink well for at least a couple of decades.

Score: 96

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2018-2045 30 May 2016

Alexandre Thienpont is on a roll here: this is one of the finest Pomerol’s of the Appellation and could offer more quality per penny spent than any other. A gorgeous, opulent nose explodes from the glass and to be honest, you are in love straight away. Sweet black fruits laced with fig and dates, all with brilliant definition. The palate is very intense with rich, black fruits, slightly grainy tannins and wonderful poise. Blackberry, black tea, minerals and a touch of Xmas cake. Very intellectual, an utterly compelling Pomerol to treasure. Tasted April 2007.

Score: 95 - 97

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 03 May 2007

Good full red-ruby. Very sexy aromas and flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, roasted coffee, violet and licorice. Lush, silky and highly concentrated, with an utterly seamless texture to the middle palate. Wonderfully, ripe, broad, merlot-based wine; solid as a rock but utterly pliant. Finishes with captivating lingering sweetness, the broad tannins completely buffered by the wine's ripe fruit. I sucked up my bottle of this elixir with great pleasure, but it has the stuffing for long aging.

Score: 94

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2009

One of the top wines of the vintage is the exquisite 2006 Vieux Chateau Certan. A blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, it is a stunningly rich effort boasting an inky/blue/purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of forest floor, coffee, toast, and extravagant levels of black currants and blackberries. Hints of charcoal and flowers add to the wine’s exquisite character. What’s remarkable in this full-bodied wine is that nearly 100% new oak is used, yet the oak is largely drowned out by the wine’s concentration and complex personality. This full-bodied Vieux Chateau Certan should be reasonably approachable in 3-4 years but last for at least three decades. This great success merits kudos to proprietor Alexandre Thienpont.

Score: 96

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2011-2041 01 February 2009

A brilliant effort from Alexandre Thienpont, the 2006 Vieux Chateau Certan is atypically high in Merlot (85%), with the rest Cabernet Franc. A huge bouquet of cedar, coffee, black currants, cherries, and pain grille soars from the glass of this full-bodied, opulent, fleshy, lavishly endowed Pomerol. Yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare resulted in a production of only 3,000 cases. A bulked-up, improved version of the brilliant 1990, the 2006 should be at its peak between 2010-2030, and should eclipse their 2005. Bravo!

Score: 94 - 96

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2010-2030 30 April 2007

Black chocolate and berry character on the nose follows through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a clean, caressing finish. Best after 2012.—J.S.

Score: 95

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+ 15 January 2009

Black chocolate and berry character on the nose follows through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a clean, caressing finish. Best after 2012.

Score: 95

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+ 15 January 2009

This has a beautiful core of berry, coffee and chocolate fruit. Full yet very balanced, with a velvety mouthfeel and a long, long finish. Extremely well made, with everything in proportion. Makes you want to drink it now. I haven't found many wines like this. 75 percent Merlot and 25 percent Cabernet Franc.

Score: 95 - 100

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2007

One of the richest, spiciest noses yet in Pomerol. Very sweet and sumptuous but with lots of freshness. Silky and generous and pure!!! Great red fruit freshness. Tension and density. Close-grained and glossy. A real treat. The wine of the vintage? 34 barrels had to be left out of the assemblage as they lacked sufficient character for true VCC. It was necessary to sort not just the bunches but even within the bunches. The key to this vintage was precision. Simple vinification, no overextraction, 8-10% saignée.

Score: 18

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2012-2024 17 April 2007

One of the oldest estates in Pomerol, Vieux Chateau Certan’s reputation for excellence predates that of Petrus. In 2006, Alexandre Thienpont explained to us that strict selection was absolutely key to their success: due to rot, sorting was so severe that production was reduced by one third. The gamble has paid off as the 2006 is a wonderful success, though there will be just 3000 cases in 2006 (4200 in 2005). 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with incredible aromatics - really fine, ripe, fragrant fruit. Amazingly soft texture with deep red velvety fruit, minerality and real purity. Beautiful proportions with excellent freshness. Thrilling and delicious - hard to spit.

Score: 94 - 97

Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2007

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