2006 Vieux Chateau Certan, Pomerol 12x750ml

Vinous 94

Good full red-ruby. Very sexy aromas and flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, roasted coffee, violet and licorice. Lush, silky and highly concentrated, with an utterly seamless texture to the middle palate. Wonderfully, ripe, broad, merlot-based wine; solid as a rock but utterly pliant. Finishes with captivating lingering sweetness, the broad tannins completely buffered by the wine’s ripe fruit. I sucked up my bottle of this elixir with great pleasure, but it has the stuffing for long aging. [Stephen Tanzer, 01/05/2009]

Robert Parker 96

Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ horizontal, the 2006 Vieux Chateau Certan remains an outstanding proposition. It has an airy red cherry and raspberry bouquet, a hint of bergamot tea in the background, succinctly defined, even if the fruit needs some encouragement from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. The acidity is well judged, harmonious in the mouth, quite smooth with hints of truffle oil and white pepper towards the composed, quite sensual finish. Give this a couple of more years in bottle and then it should drink well for at least a couple of decades. Tasted April 2016. [Neal Martin, 05/07/2016]

Anticipated maturity: 2018-2045

JancisRobinson.com 18.5++

70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Two storms and the vineyard as a result became a swimming pool in the middle of harvest. High risk of rot, which affected a third of the crop but Alexandre Thienpont is thrilled with the quality of the rest, having taken the risk of waiting a few days for the grapes to dry out. Harvest began 12 September.Very deep crimson; even bluer and deeper than the 2005. Richer, tighter than the 2005. Really powerful and still with enormous unresolved tannin but no worries about the fruit outlasting it. Still quite youthful. A certain refreshing inkiness. Real backbone here! Very VCC! (JR) [06/06/2024]

Anticipated maturity: 2022-2048