Vieux Château Certan 1998

Robert Parker
A prodigious effort, this dense ruby/purple-colored 1998 reveals an explosive bouquet of licorice, cedar, spice box, and jammy blackberry, currant, and cherry fruit. Profoundly concentrated, with great flavor, purity, as well as extraordinary complexity and palate presence, this wine boasts multiple layers of flavor, silky tannin, a thick, viscous texture, and a 45-second finish. The glycerin and huge extract conceal what appear to be high levels of tannin. Unusually for Vieux-Chateau-Certan, this wine contains no Cabernet Franc, being a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested at a low 34 hectoliters per hectare. It is a superstar of the vintage! Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.

Stephen Tanzer
Bright ruby-red. Cassis, raspberry, cedar, lead pencil and spicy oak on the nose. Rich, sweet and deep, with firm acids giving grip and verve to the plum, raspberry, lead pencil and bitter chocolate flavors. Wonderfully concentrated, lively and very long. The yield here, according to Thienpont, was just 34 hectoliters per hectare.

Vieux Chateau Certan hed oprindelig bare Sertan. Ejendommen blev dog splittet op i bl.a. Certan Marzelles, Certan de May - og altså Vieux Château Certan. I dag ejer familien Thienpont ejendommen. Vinene fik et stort kvalitetsmæssigt løft, da Alexandre Thienpont i 1962 overtog ledelsen efter faderens død. Han begrænsede udbyttet, det er som regel en god idé, og høstede kun, når druerne havde opnået optimal modenhed. Château Vieux Certan er en af de største ejendomme i legendariske Pomerol. De 14 hektarer vinmarker er beplantet med vinstokke, hvoraf nogle stammer helt tilbage fra 1932. Her vokser 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc og 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.