2009 Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol, Bordeaux

The 2009's nearly 14% natural alcohol, exquisite ripeness, and incredible complex bouquet of Asian spices, fruitcake, licorice, smoke, blackberries and black currants are to die for. A blend of 84% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it possesses a viscous texture as well as a freshness and vibrancy that are remarkable given the wines weight, richness and potential massiveness. This extraordinary effort is one of the finest Vieux Chateau Certans made over the last sixty years. It will undoubtedly shut down in bottle, requiring a decade or more of cellaring. It should keep for 50 years thereafter. Proprietor Thienpont thinks it is a modern day version of the 1948.Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 23/12/2011

Broad and sweet and exotically jewelly. Almost porty but it has real substance and complex fruit. jancis_robinson_mw MW - JancisRobinson.com - Feb 2013) 84% Merlot (mainly the 1942 plantings), 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Same blend as in 1998, oddly – which was their reference point for Merlot. pH 3.8, 40 hl/ha compared with the very small vintages of 2008 and 2006. 'Now that we have a better cellar, we can take more risks. In old days we couldn’t have taken 09’s risks.' Unusually low proportion of Cabernet Franc; these particular old vines just did not deliver in 2009. Very dark – much darker than Le Pin. Very luscious – more like the nose you would expect of Le Pin! Very big and rich and full. Round and chewy and very very ripe but not heavy nor very hot. Splendid nose with great richness and savour but not excessive sweetness. Gouleyant. 13.7% jancis_robinson_mw MW - JancisRobinson.com - April 2010)

Magnificent wine but atypically rich, round and powerful rather than linear and discreet (only 16% Cabernet in the blend). Enormous depth of fruit. Sweet, ripe and persistent. Voluptuous. Owner-winemaker Alexandre Thienpont compares it to the 1950 and 2000.

This has an incredible nose of chocolate and berries that turns to sweet tobacco and China tea leaves. Full-bodied, with a beautiful softness and silkiness that makes you want to keep tasting it. Goes on and on. james_suckling- Wine Spectator - Apr 2010)

The 2009's nearly 14% natural alcohol, exquisite ripeness, and incredible complex bouquet of Asian spices, fruitcake, licorice, smoke, blackberries and black currants are to die for. A blend of 84% Merlot and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it possesses a viscous texture as well as a freshness and vibrancy that are remarkable given the wine’s weight, richness and potential massiveness. This extraordinary effort is one of the finest Vieux Chateau Certans made over the last sixty years. It will undoubtedly shut down in bottle, requiring a decade or more of cellaring. It should keep for 50 years thereafter. Proprietor Thienpont thinks it is a modern day version of the 1948. As I wrote in my barrel tasting notes, the 2009 ranks alongside four of the legendary vintages of Vieux Chateau Certan’s ancient past, 1945, 1947, 1948 and 1950. It is undoubtedly a cleaner wine than those older vintages, and the selection process under proprietor Alexandre Thienpont was far more severe in 2009 than it would have been sixty years ago. (robert_parker - Wine Advocate - February 2012)