Vieux Château Certan 2012

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.

A top success, the 2012 Vieux Chateau Certan is composed of 87% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep mulberry, plum and black cherry fruit notes intermixed with touches of graphite and subtle smoke lead to a medium-bodied wine with beautiful intensity, well-integrated oak, a velvety opulence and a long, impressively pure finish. A strong effort, it should drink well for 15 or more years.

Alexander Thienpont continues to turn out brilliant wines from this property situated on the high Plateau of Pomerol. The harvest took place between October 1 and 11, producing 33 hectoliters per hectare. The 2012 achieved 13.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.8 and an index of polyphenols as high as the 2010, which was somewhat surprising. It is not nearly as powerful or rich as the 2010 or the 2009. All the old vine parcels of Merlot made it into the final blend.

So complex and pure with mushrooms, tobacco, chocolate and berries. Full-bodied yet refined, fresh and lively. The texture is so silky and intense. A real beauty and balance that both make you want to drink it.

Soft raspberry fruits, plenty of enjoyable tobacco and saffron notes, this has grace and poise and tension, stretched out and fill of character. A good moment to start drinking, the tannins are melted and overall this is juicy and moriesh with a saline-streaked finish.

Strong graphite aroma on the nose even though there is less Cabernet Franc than in some years. Silky tannins pull you along to a dry, polished finish. Cool and fresh with sweet blueberry fruit on the mid palate and a touch of earthiness adding savour. Very fine tannins. Earlier drinking wine than 2009 or 2010. (JH)

Deep purple colour. A very distinctive nose of graphite, blackcurrant and green pepper. The palate is intense with fresh black fruits and garrigue, with fresh acidity and structure tannins. This is long, refined and perfectly poised. On revealing the identitiy of the wines, it was no great surprise as this exudes classic VCC character with the Cabernet Franc notes coming through. It will need bottle age some before opening.

Very distinctive, with a terrific smoldering tobacco and charcoal
frame around a core of steeped fig, blackberry and plum fruit. The
fruit drapes across the finish. Best from 2018 through 2030.

There are lots of brooding black fruits on the nose and depth and richness on the palate. Black plum fleshiness is backed by slightly fresher black cherry all underpinned by fine ripe tannins. Towards the back dark chocolate enriches and this combined with the ripe fruit gives fleshy suppleness on the finish. 2020-40.

Alexandre Thienpont describes the Merlot in his 2012 as "simple", saying that it needs the
Cabernet Franc for complexity and palate length, but I think he's being too hard on his
own wine. This isn't another 2010 VCC, but it's still a delight: perfumed, grassy and supple
with bramble and green pepper notes, silky tannins and well handled oak. A château
enjoying a rich vein of form.
Drink: 2020-35