The Château Vieux Château Certan 2012 is a Pomerol red wine from Bordeaux, produced by Vieux Château Certan, a property of the Thienpont family. It brings together 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvested from October 1st to 11, operations concluded just hours before heavy rains; the yield reached 33 hl/ha. Following gentle extraction and three weeks of vatting, the wine was aged in barrels, three-quarters of which were new. The Wine Advocate and James Suckling award it 95/100, while Wine Spectator rates it 94/100 and recommends drinking between 2018 and 2030; The Wine Advocate indicates a window of 2020-2045. Critics highlight an elegant and structured expression, marked by tobacco, dark fruits, a smoky framework and silky tannins.
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux tasting. The 2012 Vieux Château Certan has a potent, smoke, cooked meat, Cabernet Franc-scented bouquet that is beautifully defined—quintessentially Pomerol. You want typicité? Come right here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite gentle as it sashays across the mouth. The acidity is very well judged and leads to an elegant tobacco tinged finish. Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont have produced one of the finest wines of the Right Bank in 2012, one that is up there with the greats. Tasted January 2016.
Slightly leafy on the nose, showing eucalyptus leaves, earthy minerality, mushrooms and leather. Yet there’s a fresh note of anise, too. Classic vintage here, with silky, relatively lighter tannins, medium body and a slightly more rustic finish, though enriched with dark-chocolate and cold-coffee details. Drinkable now, but will last for at least another decade.
Very distinctive, with a terrific smoldering tobacco and charcoal frame around a core of steeped fig, blackberry and plum fruit. The fruit drapes beautifully across the finish, while the charcoal edge extends on and on, picking up warm stone, chestnut and alder notes along the way. Shows serious grip, and should be among the longest-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2018 through 2030. 2,830 cases made. Published on March 31, 2015
87 % Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Vintage described as ‘typical’. Picked from 1 October to 11 October ‘just hours before heavy rains set in’. Alexandre was very keen to know whether the herbaceous nose was too much. We said no! Deep crimson. Leafy nose – quite distinctive. Juicy fruit that very suave but not one of the most concentrated. Very nicely balanced and with very ripe tannins and backbone. A great drink now. But no hurry. Juicy fruit. Neat and complete. Firm. Hint of bitter dark chocolate.
