Underestimated Vieux Château Certan
Pomerol 2014
Why underestimated? VCC 2014 now delivers more than it did a few years ago since its release. And that’s often the case for lesser Bordeaux vintages.
The 2014 vintage experienced a challenging growing season, characterized by a mild winter and a summer that alternated between heat spikes and periods of cool, rainy weather. Consequently, the vintage is known for its uneven quality, with some estates producing some good wines while others struggled.
As they like to say in Bordeaux, the resulting wines are more “traditional”, more “classic”, meaning that they are usually a bit more austere, leaner, and offering less complexity, texture, substance, and structure than celebrated vintages such as 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, etc…
I’m usually the first to be hesitant about buying lesser Bordeaux vintages. As a Sommelier and Wine Buyer, I mostly purchase good to outstanding vintages in search of the “Wow!” factor and immediate customer satisfaction, rather than spending time explaining to my customers why a lesser vintage can also be good, considering blah, blah, blah.
Moreover, most restaurants and sommeliers offer lesser vintages on their wine lists to capitalize on the name and give customers the impression that they are buying a good wine, while it is a lesser vintage.
This allows them to increase the margin and maximize profit, despite the wine not being of high quality. Yet, because it is a well-recognized brand, people easily fall into the trap.
Recently, I noticed that some wine lists are selling Bordeaux 2011, 2013, and 2017, which are average vintages, at prices comparable to those of better vintages. It is a scam.
I have never done that in my entire 33-year career, and I have always refused to do it; it gives a bad image and reputation to both the restaurant and the Sommelier.
Yet, I’m also the first to be willing to retry lesser vintages a few years later to check on their evolution and whether their taste has improved for the
better. This is the case for the Vieux Chateau Certan 2014.
Although Vieux Chateau Certan is one of my favorite Bordeaux wines, and I have always been pleased with most vintages I've tasted, I admit that I was not very fond of the 2014 vintage when I tasted it a few years ago. I found it hard and dry, austere and tannic, and closed.
Yet, I decided to give it another chance a few weeks ago by selecting it for a private dinner, and I was both pleasantly surprised and satisfied. It was a gamble, as I hadn't tasted it in a few years, and it could have turned out worse.
Yet, it is rarely the case with Vieux Chateau Certan, as it is one of those wines that usually improves with time and rewards those patient enough to wait for it (like Haut-Brion, which is another favorite of mine and an excellent example of a wine with outstanding ageing potential that develops for the better with time).
Moreover, a Sommelier/Wine Buyer needs to taste and re-taste lesser vintages, not only to check the evolution of the wine, but also to eliminate their "a priori" expectations about the wine, especially if it has improved. One has to admit when they are wrong. Only idiots don't change their minds and stick stubbornly to their preconceived ideas. How can you assume a lesser vintage wine has not evolved and remained the same if you haven't tried it again?
It is perhaps a characteristic of Bordeaux wines, but even lesser vintages can improve with age and become surprisingly good after a few years, making them worth revisiting.
Vieux Château Certan Pomerol Bordeaux 2014
The estate's history begins with the Demay family, who were wine merchants in Bordeaux. Early records indicate that the property has been in existence since at least the mid-1700s. The wines were initially sold under the name Sertani.
The estate's name changed over time, and by the late 18th century, it was listed as "Sertan" on the Belleyme Map. In the 19th century, Charles de Bousquet, a banker, bought the estate and led major renovations, including the construction of the iconic tower, which became a symbol of its prominence.
In 1924, Georges Thienpont, a Belgian wine merchant, purchased Vieux Château Certan. The Thienpont family has remained the owners ever since, with Alexandre Thienpont currently managing the estate. In 1979, Marcel and Gérard Thienpont, part of the family, founded the nearby micro-cuvée estate, Château Le Pin.
I had the opportunity to meet Alexandre Thienpont and visit the estate, as well as taste the wines, during the En Primeur campaigns in the mid-to-late-2000s.
In France, it is often said that the wine resembles its maker, and that is precisely the case for Vieux Château Certan. Alexandre Thienpont is a bright, intelligent, highly knowledgeable, and skilled individual. Yet, he is a gentle, timid, and reserved person who only warms up and becomes much more approachable and personable when he feels comfortable with you.
Vieux Chateau Certan is the same, especially in lesser vintages; it needs time to develop and adapt to the environment and service conditions before delivering its full potential. Once opened, it is a suave and silky wine, rich, layered, and complex, precise and focused, almost intellectual, with excellent balance, texture, and structure. I love it.
The 14-acre vineyard is planted with a mix of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, a classic blend of Pomerol. The estate's winemaking practices emphasize careful attention to detail and a focus on achieving optimal ripeness and balance in the grapes.
Vieux Château Certan is recognized as one of Pomerol's oldest and most esteemed estates, producing wines renowned for their elegance, complexity, and exceptional aging potential.
A blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, Vieux Château Certan 2014 showcases a beautiful interplay of freshness and fruit character. Surprisingly, it is now much more open than it was a few years ago. It offers exquisite aromas of blackberry and wild strawberry, mingling with floral and stony nuances, as well as earthy notes of rose petals, clove, and truffle. The palate is medium-bodied, with crisp acidity and fine tannins (more integrated than in recent years), offering a slightly masculine yet sophisticated character. Linear and precise, with a harmonious balance between freshness and roundness, while possessing excellent texture and structure. The finish is lingering and mineral-driven, with that "je ne sais quoi" of earthy energy characteristic of VCC wines. Love it.
While enjoyable now, it might improve even more with further aging. I will definitely revisit it in a few years to see if I was right.
Cheers! Santé!
Dom
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