2014 Vieux Château Certan - Angry Wine Merchant 2014 Vieux Château Certan - Angry Wine Merchant
2014 Vieux Château Certan - Angry Wine Merchant
2014 Vieux Château Certan - Angry Wine Merchant

2014 Vieux Chateau Certan

Red Bordeaux Blend

France / Bordeaux / Libournais / Pomerol

$220
JD 97
RP 96
V 96
Size:
Quantity:

2014 Vieux Chateau Certan Red Bordeaux Blend, France

A pleasant surprise

From winter to the beginning of June, the first half of 2014 began with mild temperatures and frequent periods of rain. The flowering process that followed was even, helped by glorious weather in mid-June. Despite a summer with scattered stormy periods, the weather changed for the better with consistent summer sunshine from the end of August till the harvest.

As a precaution, we carried out vine canopy work in several stages as from the veraison. One week before the harvest, de-leafing was necessary on the west side of the rows in order to enhance ripening. 2014 vieux chateau certan

Thanks to this glorious Indian summer, the Cabernet Franc was of excellent quality.
It brought to the blend delicacy, excellent length and breed. It gives the wine its flamboyant side.

The Merlot is rich, perfumed, round and vinous. It brings liveliness and pleasantness.

The 2014 Vieux Chateau Certan displays many facets: it shows a balance between freshness and roundness and between fruit character and length of flavour.
It is charming and delicious.

Technical data

Crop thinning and de-leafing from 29th July to 14th August, then from 9th to 12th September 2014
Harvest  19th and 20th September, then from 29th September to 2nd October and finally on 7th and 8th October 2014
Yield 38 hectolitres/hectare
Blend 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcoholic degree 14 %/ vol
Bottling from May 17th to May 25th, 2016

"The first bottles of this vintage may be enjoyed in the six to eight years while the rest can be kept a further twenty years or more."

JD 97

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2014 Vieux Château Certan is glorious stuff that has more personality and sexiness than just about every other wine in the vintage. Kirsch, black cherries, flowers, forest floor and exotic spice characteristics all emerge from this ethereally textured, elegant, beautifully rich 2014 that has notable acidity, sweet tannin, and a great finish. With an almost Burgundian elegance and purity, it’s already drinking nicely, but will be even better in another 3-4 years and keep for two decades. Reviewed by Jeb Dunnuck. Tasting date: February 15, 2018. Drinking window: 2018-2022.
RP 96

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2014 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked in three stages: 19-20 September, 29 September to 2 October, and 7 and 8 October. The yields came in at 38.7 hectoliters per hectare with 13.4% alcohol. It was one of my stars of the vintage and now in bottle, I find no reason to change that. It is endowed with an exquisite bouquet, really one of the best I encountered throughout my tastings: perfumed blackberry, wild strawberry, cold stone and wilted rose petals. Like in barrel, it is not powerful, yet it is blessed with wondrous precision. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity and fine tannin, a slightly masculine VCC due to its linearity and precision. There is tension here from start to finish, a sophisticated and cerebral Pomerol that transcends the growing season. It is a totally different kettle of fish to the 2015 (and doubtless the pre-natal 2016). This is unashamedly classic in style, fanning out towards the mineral-rich finish with great frisson and energy. A cellar without the 2014 Vieux-Château-Certan would be a great pity. Reviewed by Neal Martin. Issue date: March 31, 2017. Drinking window: 2020-2050.
V 96

Vinous

The 2014 Vieux-Château Certan has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, clove and truffle aromas, nicely defined though it seems to have closed up a little since I tasted it just after bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a keen thread of acidity. The palate shows the real potential, more than the nose at the moment. There is wondrous linearity and precision and it finishes with haunting grace. At this tasting I marked this lower than I wanted because it just continuously improved in the glass after I announced my score to the group. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Reviewed by Neal Martin. Tasting date: February 2018. Drinking window: 2022 - 2050.

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  • CRITICAL REVIEWS
  • WINEMAKER NOTES
JD 97

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2014 Vieux Château Certan is glorious stuff that has more personality and sexiness than just about every other wine in the vintage. Kirsch, black cherries, flowers, forest floor and exotic spice characteristics all emerge from this ethereally textured, elegant, beautifully rich 2014 that has notable acidity, sweet tannin, and a great finish. With an almost Burgundian elegance and purity, it’s already drinking nicely, but will be even better in another 3-4 years and keep for two decades. Reviewed by Jeb Dunnuck. Tasting date: February 15, 2018. Drinking window: 2018-2022.
RP 96

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2014 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked in three stages: 19-20 September, 29 September to 2 October, and 7 and 8 October. The yields came in at 38.7 hectoliters per hectare with 13.4% alcohol. It was one of my stars of the vintage and now in bottle, I find no reason to change that. It is endowed with an exquisite bouquet, really one of the best I encountered throughout my tastings: perfumed blackberry, wild strawberry, cold stone and wilted rose petals. Like in barrel, it is not powerful, yet it is blessed with wondrous precision. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity and fine tannin, a slightly masculine VCC due to its linearity and precision. There is tension here from start to finish, a sophisticated and cerebral Pomerol that transcends the growing season. It is a totally different kettle of fish to the 2015 (and doubtless the pre-natal 2016). This is unashamedly classic in style, fanning out towards the mineral-rich finish with great frisson and energy. A cellar without the 2014 Vieux-Château-Certan would be a great pity. Reviewed by Neal Martin. Issue date: March 31, 2017. Drinking window: 2020-2050.
V 96

Vinous

The 2014 Vieux-Château Certan has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, clove and truffle aromas, nicely defined though it seems to have closed up a little since I tasted it just after bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a keen thread of acidity. The palate shows the real potential, more than the nose at the moment. There is wondrous linearity and precision and it finishes with haunting grace. At this tasting I marked this lower than I wanted because it just continuously improved in the glass after I announced my score to the group. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Reviewed by Neal Martin. Tasting date: February 2018. Drinking window: 2022 - 2050.

2014 Vieux Chateau Certan Red Bordeaux Blend, France

A pleasant surprise

From winter to the beginning of June, the first half of 2014 began with mild temperatures and frequent periods of rain. The flowering process that followed was even, helped by glorious weather in mid-June. Despite a summer with scattered stormy periods, the weather changed for the better with consistent summer sunshine from the end of August till the harvest.

As a precaution, we carried out vine canopy work in several stages as from the veraison. One week before the harvest, de-leafing was necessary on the west side of the rows in order to enhance ripening. 2014 vieux chateau certan

Thanks to this glorious Indian summer, the Cabernet Franc was of excellent quality.
It brought to the blend delicacy, excellent length and breed. It gives the wine its flamboyant side.

The Merlot is rich, perfumed, round and vinous. It brings liveliness and pleasantness.

The 2014 Vieux Chateau Certan displays many facets: it shows a balance between freshness and roundness and between fruit character and length of flavour.
It is charming and delicious.

Technical data

Crop thinning and de-leafing from 29th July to 14th August, then from 9th to 12th September 2014
Harvest  19th and 20th September, then from 29th September to 2nd October and finally on 7th and 8th October 2014
Yield 38 hectolitres/hectare
Blend 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcoholic degree 14 %/ vol
Bottling from May 17th to May 25th, 2016

"The first bottles of this vintage may be enjoyed in the six to eight years while the rest can be kept a further twenty years or more."

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