Vieux Chateau Certan 2011

Pomerol

Units	Size	Case size	GBP Price:	Quantities	Buy

Tasting Notes
The dense ruby/purple-tinged 2011 Vieux Chateau Certan offers a beautiful bouquet of plums, black cherries, cassis and hints of graphite as well as spice, an excellent texture and medium body. A success in this difficult vintage, it should age easily for 10-15 years. Yet after the trilogy of great wines in 2008, 2009 and 2010, few consumers are likely to pay much attention to this 2011. Score: 91 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2014-2029 01 April 2014
Made in a big, bold style with 13.6% natural alcohol, it reveals a stunning perfume of graphite, mulberries, black currants, kirsch, licorice and forest floor. This full-bodied, dense Pomerol transcends the overall vintage character. Thienpont compared the style of the 2011 with their 2000, but with more density to its core because of the extremely low yields. Only 60% of the crop made it into this cuvee. It will need 5-8 years of cellaring, and should still be intact and drinking beautifully at age 30. A candidate for the top wine of Pomerol, Alexandre Thienpont calls the 2011 a return to the more classic style of Vieux Chateau Certan after the exotic, over-the-top 2009 and 2010. A blend of 70% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc (the highest in a number of years) and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2011 was harvested between September 7-20. Score: 94 - 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2017-2047 27 April 2012
The Vieux Chateau Certan was cropped between 6th and 7th of September and from 14th until 20th September. That’s what you’ll read everywhere, although I was filming Alexandre when he was picking the final Cabernet around the 29th September! Cropped at 37hl/ha, it is a blend of 70% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and (yay!) 29% Cabernet Franc. It delivers 13.6 degrees alcohol with a total acidity of 3.5gms/L and an IPT of 83. After the Cabernet Francless 2009 and 2010, this is more what I consider to be a classic VCC nose and as Alexandre, unlike those previous vintages that gives you everything up front, this is far more intellectual and enigmatic with hints of mineral laden fruit, limestone and small dark cherries. It is beautifully defined yet distant. The palate is succinctly balanced with crisp acidity, exceptional balance and superb backbone. There is an undercurrent of masculinity, a saline tincture, crushed stone and a touch of dried herbs and yet these are just fleeting hints. It has enormous length and it is one of the very few that could be on the same ethereal plateau as the 2009 and 2010 and perhaps one day…even better. Tasted April 2012. Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 30 April 2012
Alexandre Thienpont says happily, 'De retour a Bordeaux' - back to Bordeaux after the last two atypical vintages, clearly delighted with the way Cabernet Franc has performed this year. He has included 28% in 2011 compared with 5-6% in 2009 and 2010. It's a variety that copes quite well with lack of water but not with extreme heat. Rich purple crimson. Camomile (though I am not sure I would have spotted this if Alexandre hadn't mentioned it) plus fine dark fruit and graphite freshness. Closed on the nose but scented on the palate. Very fine tannins. Crunchy. Fresh and long. Great purity and line and length. Absolutely lovely. (JH) 13.6% Score: 18 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2020-2035 23 April 2012
The 'grand retour' of Cabernet Franc with 29% in the blend. Less opulence than 2009 and 2010 but this is a wine that really sings. It has a vital, floral, dark fruit nose, a silky texture and tannins. Succulent, fresh and long. A classic VCC. The Right Bank wine of the vintage. Score: 19 Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2020-2040 16 April 2012
This has a dark ganache and loamy profile that belies the vintage's lighter, fresher profile, and the wine cuts a broad swath but stays well-defined, with dense tobacco and fig on the finish. An impressive effort and an early challenger for one of the wines of the vintage. Tasted non-blind. Score: 93 - 96 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 11 April 2012
What a nose. Such beautiful aromas of Cabernet Franc here with licorice and tea and ark fruits. Wet earth too. Full body, with firm and racy tannins and a beautiful finish of chocolate and berries. Intense. Cashmere texture. 29% Cabernet Franc in this with the rest in Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Franc comes mostly from a parcel from planted in 1958. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 April 2012

Tasting Notes

The dense ruby/purple-tinged 2011 Vieux Chateau Certan offers a beautiful bouquet of plums, black cherries, cassis and hints of graphite as well as spice, an excellent texture and medium body. A success in this difficult vintage, it should age easily for 10-15 years. Yet after the trilogy of great wines in 2008, 2009 and 2010, few consumers are likely to pay much attention to this 2011.

Score: 91

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2014-2029 01 April 2014

Made in a big, bold style with 13.6% natural alcohol, it reveals a stunning perfume of graphite, mulberries, black currants, kirsch, licorice and forest floor. This full-bodied, dense Pomerol transcends the overall vintage character. Thienpont compared the style of the 2011 with their 2000, but with more density to its core because of the extremely low yields. Only 60% of the crop made it into this cuvee. It will need 5-8 years of cellaring, and should still be intact and drinking beautifully at age 30. A candidate for the top wine of Pomerol, Alexandre Thienpont calls the 2011 a return to the more classic style of Vieux Chateau Certan after the exotic, over-the-top 2009 and 2010. A blend of 70% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc (the highest in a number of years) and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2011 was harvested between September 7-20.

Score: 94 - 96

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2017-2047 27 April 2012

The Vieux Chateau Certan was cropped between 6th and 7th of September and from 14th until 20th September. That’s what you’ll read everywhere, although I was filming Alexandre when he was picking the final Cabernet around the 29th September! Cropped at 37hl/ha, it is a blend of 70% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and (yay!) 29% Cabernet Franc. It delivers 13.6 degrees alcohol with a total acidity of 3.5gms/L and an IPT of 83. After the Cabernet Francless 2009 and 2010, this is more what I consider to be a classic VCC nose and as Alexandre, unlike those previous vintages that gives you everything up front, this is far more intellectual and enigmatic with hints of mineral laden fruit, limestone and small dark cherries. It is beautifully defined yet distant. The palate is succinctly balanced with crisp acidity, exceptional balance and superb backbone. There is an undercurrent of masculinity, a saline tincture, crushed stone and a touch of dried herbs and yet these are just fleeting hints. It has enormous length and it is one of the very few that could be on the same ethereal plateau as the 2009 and 2010 and perhaps one day…even better. Tasted April 2012.

Score: 96 - 98

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 30 April 2012

Alexandre Thienpont says happily, 'De retour a Bordeaux' - back to Bordeaux after the last two atypical vintages, clearly delighted with the way Cabernet Franc has performed this year. He has included 28% in 2011 compared with 5-6% in 2009 and 2010. It's a variety that copes quite well with lack of water but not with extreme heat. Rich purple crimson. Camomile (though I am not sure I would have spotted this if Alexandre hadn't mentioned it) plus fine dark fruit and graphite freshness. Closed on the nose but scented on the palate. Very fine tannins. Crunchy. Fresh and long. Great purity and line and length. Absolutely lovely. (JH) 13.6%

Score: 18

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2020-2035 23 April 2012

The 'grand retour' of Cabernet Franc with 29% in the blend. Less opulence than 2009 and 2010 but this is a wine that really sings. It has a vital, floral, dark fruit nose, a silky texture and tannins. Succulent, fresh and long. A classic VCC. The Right Bank wine of the vintage.

Score: 19

Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2020-2040 16 April 2012

This has a dark ganache and loamy profile that belies the vintage's lighter, fresher profile, and the wine cuts a broad swath but stays well-defined, with dense tobacco and fig on the finish. An impressive effort and an early challenger for one of the wines of the vintage. Tasted non-blind.

Score: 93 - 96

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 11 April 2012

What a nose. Such beautiful aromas of Cabernet Franc here with licorice and tea and ark fruits. Wet earth too. Full body, with firm and racy tannins and a beautiful finish of chocolate and berries. Intense. Cashmere texture. 29% Cabernet Franc in this with the rest in Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Franc comes mostly from a parcel from planted in 1958.

Score: 95 - 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 April 2012

Your Lists & Checkout

New Arrivals

Advanced Search

wine regions

quick links

Vieux Chateau Certan 2011

Pomerol

search wines

Full wine List

RSS feeds

wine regions

join our mailing list