2020 Vieux Château Certan Magnum

Bottled in a generous magnum, the 2020 Vieux Château Certan is one of the standout Pomerols of the vintage, uniting power, precision and rare elegance. Crafted from old vines on the plateau of Pomerol, this wine showcases the château’s signature blend of depth, floral lift and silky texture. With a perfect 100-point score from Vinous, it has already secured its place among the great modern classics of Bordeaux.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2020 Vieux Château Certan Magnum is deep, opaque ruby with a vibrant purple rim, hinting at its youth and concentration. The nose is luxurious and complex, opening with layers of black cherry and ripe blueberry, followed by black truffle shavings, graphite, iodine and subtle sweet spice. With air, lifted floral tones—violets and iris—emerge, giving a beautiful interplay between dark fruit intensity and aromatic finesse. On the palate the wine is medium to full-bodied, with a remarkable combination of richness and tension. Juicy black and blue fruits are wrapped in finely woven tannins, backed by a bright, cooling freshness that keeps everything poised and energetic. Notes of plum, cocoa, truffle and a whisper of cedar unfold across the mid-palate, leading into a long, polished finish that recalls great Lafleur in its structure and refinement. In magnum, this 2020 has excellent aging potential: it will benefit from 6–8 years of cellaring and should evolve gracefully for 25 years or more under proper conditions.

Production
Vieux Château Certan’s 14-hectare vineyard lies in a single contiguous block on the heart of the Pomerol plateau, a patchwork of subtly varied clay and gravel soils that are ideal for Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The estate’s average vine age is around 50 years, and each of the 23 parcels is managed and harvested separately according to soil type, grape variety and vine age, allowing for precise expression of the terroir. In 2020, the blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, with no Cabernet Sauvignon used. Harvest took place from 14–24 September for Merlot and 28–29 September for Cabernet Franc, with drought conditions naturally limiting vigor and concentrating fruit from the older vines. Vinification occurs in temperature-controlled oak vats at around 28°C, favoring a gentle, gradual extraction; this slightly longer, measured fermentation and maceration prioritises finesse and aromatic purity over sheer power, resulting in a wine of striking elegance and clarity.

Food & Serving
The 2020 Vieux Château Certan Magnum is a superb partner for refined dishes such as roast lamb with herbs, veal chops, beef tenderloin, duck breast or game birds, as well as truffle-inflected cuisine and earthy mushroom dishes. It also works beautifully with aged hard cheeses like Comté or Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight its aromatic complexity and freshness. Given its youth and concentration, decanting for 2–3 hours is recommended for near-term drinking, especially from magnum, to allow the black fruit, floral notes and truffle nuances to fully unfurl.

Producer
Vieux Château Certan is one of Pomerol’s oldest and most revered estates, with roots reaching back to the early 16th century when the Demay family settled there from Scotland. Already appearing on Belleyme’s 1785 map under the name “Sertan,” the property has long been associated with the finest terroirs of the Pomerol plateau. The current château buildings were constructed in the mid-19th century under Charles de Bousquet, and in 1924 the estate was purchased by Georges Thienpont, a Flemish wine merchant—a move that marked the beginning of the Thienpont family’s influential presence in Bordeaux. Today, Vieux Château Certan is considered one of Pomerol’s benchmark producers, renowned for its meticulous parcel-by-parcel vineyard management, its seamless blend of tradition and modern precision in the cellar, and a long history of producing wines that rank among the very greatest of the Right Bank.

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