VIEUX CHÂTEAU CERTAN 2023

Not harvested until after the rains in the middle of September, the 2023 Vieux Château Certan is based on 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in roughly 60% new oak. It's another ripe, medium to full-bodied, aristocratic, beautifully textured Pomerol that has ample black cherry, mulberry, chocolate, and tobacco-like aromatics, medium to full-bodied richness, flawless overall balance, and ripe tannins, as well as a certain salinity on the finish. Checking in at 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.74, it should surpass the 2014 and is a beautiful, elegant, classic wine that every reader would love to have in their cellar.

The 2023 Vieux Château Certan is wonderfully complex and dynamic in the glass. The layers here are just remarkable. That sort of dimension is one of the qualities that was hard to come by in 2023. Dark blue-toned fruit, lavender, scorched earth, new leather and menthol soar, lending tons of vertical, explosive energy. Floral and savory overtones develop with air, adding further shades of nuance. What a gorgeous and complete wine this is.

Perfect aromas of ripe, pristine blueberries, subtle black olives, raspberries, violets, minerals, lavender and sandalwood. The finesse, depth and grace are mesmerizing. It's medium-bodied with incredible energy and length. A masterpiece in subtly. Can't get better than this. 82% merlot and 18% cabernet franc. Lovely to drink now, but it will age beautifully. Wait until 2030. December 2025

The 2023 Vieux Château Certan has turned out beautifully, bursting with aromas of blackberries and mulberries mingled with notions of iris, licorice and burning embers. Medium- to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with an elegantly unctuous attack that segues into a rich and succulent mid-palate, it's a suave, seamless classic that will enjoy a wide drinking window. The 2023 is a blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc that checks in at 14% alcohol.