2022, Vieux Château Certan, POMEROL

Bordeaux Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon

The only wine to receive 100 points from both Antonio Galloni and Neal Martin from the much lauded 2022 vintage is none other than Vieux Chateau Certan. This bastion of aristocratic Pomerol has long been a favourite of J&B. Their 2022 harnesses all the qualities of this great terroir with an even more ravishing textural quality provided by the extraordinary 2022 growing season. The result is one of the most sumptuous, expressive and detailed wines we’ve ever tasted from this great chateau. We just have a handful of cases left and a few large formats – fans of VCC and luxuriant Pomerol will not want to miss out!  - Justerini & Brooks.

The 2022 Vieux Château Certan is a total stunner. Readers will find a magical wine, a Pomerol that satisfies both the intellectual and hedonistic senses. Vertical and explosive, with stunning presence, the 2022 VCC simply has it all. Time in the glass reveals myriad shades of nuance. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, liquorice and plum literally soar out of the glass. The tannins are present but nearly buried by the wine's deep, layered fruit. But more than anything else, it is the balance, the total sense of harmony, that is most impressive. I simply can’t ask anything more of the 2022, hence its lofty and well-deserved rating. Bravo! 100/100 – Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com.
 
The 2022 Vieux Château Certan was stellar from barrel. Now, just a week after I retasted the immortal 1947, this latest iteration proves that quality remains as high under Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont as it did during the golden postwar era under Georges Thienpont. Boasting an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, iodine and iris flower, this is one of the most complex and mesmerizing wines in all of Bordeaux this vintage, let alone Pomerol. The palate offers exquisite balance, razor-sharp tannins, real sapidity and a fabulous grainy texture. The Cabernet components are very expressive and lend a completely different dimension to the finish. This is exceptional. 100/100 – Neal Martin, Vinous.com.

The freshness and dynamic sense to the wine is so surprising. Minerally and salty. It's full yet racy. Black ink and oyster shell. Excellent length. 98-99 James Suckling.

The 2022 Vieux Chateau Certan is deep garnet-purple in colour. After a swirl or two, notes of black cherry preserves, black raspberries, and juicy black plums rocket out of the glass, followed by suggestions of star anise, lilacs, rose oil, and truffles with a waft of fertile loam. The full-bodied palate slowly grows in the mouth with layers of emerging mineral, floral, and exotic spice nuances intertwined with concentrated black fruits, supported by super-plush tannins and perfectly knit freshness, culminating in a very long-lasting firework display of floral and spice notes. 98-100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW.

Firm tannic frame, with ink, graphite, violet flowers and red roses, even hints of black truffles at this young age, a sign of the exuberance of the vintage and one that will no doubt increase with age. A little less Cabernet Franc in the blend than usual because they have one plot uprooted right now. The aromatics are exploding, but things are more serious on the palate, with grip and austerity, and it will need a good eight to ten years in bottle. Beautiful nutmeg and clove spice, with a mouthwatering finish. 96 Jane Anson.

Drinking Window: 2032 - 2075