The Château Vieux Château Certan 1982 is a red wine from Pomerol in Bordeaux, produced by Vieux Château Certan, an estate owned by the Thienpont family. Its blend comprises 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Wine Advocate awards it 94/100 and recommends drinking it from 2012 to 2040; Jancis Robinson rates it 17/20, with a drinking window from 1990 to 2030; James Suckling gives it 97/100. Critics describe a full-bodied and velvety wine with melted tannins, combining dark fruits, truffle, spices, cedar, and lingering freshness.
Vieux Château Certan is a Pomerol estate situated on the appellation’s plateau in Gironde. Owned by the Thienpont family since 1924, it cultivates 14 hectares of vines in a single block, divided into 23 plots. The vineyard consists mainly of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on clay and gravel soils.
Owner
Famille Thienpont
Maître de chais
Guillaume Thienpont
Surface (ha)
14.00 ha
Production (average bottles per vintage)
600 hl/an
Histoire du domaine
The origin of the name Certan dates back to ancient times, whilst the history of the wine estate is linked to the de May family, of Scottish origin, who are said to have founded it in the 16th century. The estate adopted the name Vieux Château Certan in 1745, a date also recognised by the appellation’s governing body as the year the vineyard was established. In 1858, Charles de Bousquet became the owner and had the château renovated; its general appearance has been preserved. Georges Thienpont and his wife Joséphine acquired the property in the spring of 1924. On the death of Georges Thienpont in 1962, his son Léon took over the running of the estate. A significant portion of the vineyard was replanted following the frost of 1956, and a new winery was built in 1972. Alexandre Thienpont succeeded his father Léon in 1985. He subsequently worked alongside his son Guillaume, who has been involved in the technical management of the estate since 2011. Winemaking is now overseen by Guillaume Thienpont, at an estate that remains family-owned.
Critiques professionnelles
Notes & cotations
The Wine Advocate94/100+
Reviewed by
William Kelley
Published
Drink Date
2012 - 2040
The 1982 Vieux Château Certan didn't make waves in its youth, yet it is going from strength to strength today. Produced by Léon Thienpont, four years before his son Alexandre took the helm, it offers up rich aromas of mulberries, black truffle, forest floor, spices and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit, melting tannins and an expansive, sapid finish, this is a comparatively underrated 1982 Bordeaux today.
Extraordinary freshness on the nose here, with dark, vibrant bramble fruits, restrained leafy notes and leathery, balsamic depth. Some aromas and flavors of sweeter yellow fruit, too. Full-bodied with a dense, velvety attack to the vibrant palate. Sucrosity and a tight, youthful feel, due to the crisp acidity. This is still young, and you feel the warmth of the vintage in the finish. Yet, it’s a classy wine with overall elegance. Drink or hold.
‘Bordeaux’s first modern vintage started out warm so that vegetative growth began early. By May, there were serious worries about drought but heavy rain in May came just before flowering, which was early and successful. It was a hot summer with some welcome showers towards the end. As picking began in mid-September, the heat reappeared. High yields and high temperatures created a challenge during winemaking.’ Not enough selection. Surprisingly, less-intense colour than I might have expected, and much paler than the wines from the 1940s. Though charming. Sweet and attractive with some richness but much lighter than it might have been if Georges had not been in charge and wanting to maximise volume. A little dilute and this might have been one of the wines that convinced Alexandre to insist on introducing a second wine, La Gravette de Certan, from 1985. A bit simple and lacks real fruit concentration in the middle. Charming but not magnificent. Slightly buttery.
