
Red wine
Vieux Château Certan 2018
No Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend this year, as the vineyards were subjected to severe water stress. But water reserves that had built up over the spring enabled most other vines to cope with the stress, owner Alexandre Thienpont explained. Certainly the 15% Cabernet Franc, harvested along with that of Cheval Blanc on 9 October (thankfully a bit of rain beginning of October helped to dilute a bit the wines), enhanced the blend with length and “pedigree” he said. The 40 hectoliters per hectare was a more than respectable yield for the vintage, with Merlots ensuring strength and opulence in this wine of 14.4% alcohol and low acidity. Lovely elegance, density and length.
Score: 96-98+
Wine Details
Colour
Red
Wine Style
Still
Grape Varieties
Merlot (85%), Cabernet Franc (15%)
Alcohol
14.4%
Bottle size
75cl
Origin
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Sub-region
St Emilion & Pomerol
Area
Pomerol AOP
Tasting Information
Name of Tasting
Bordeaux En Primeur 2018
Type of Tasting
Tasting report
Blind
No
Tasted by
Panos Kakaviatos