98+

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2019 Vieux Château Certan is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. It is very clearly one of the highlights on the Right Bank. Soaring aromatics are immediately captivating. There is an exoticism in the 2019 that I saw from barrel that is evident in the bottled wine, but today, I see more balance and harmony. Crème de cassis, licorice, lavender, spice and rose petal blend into a core of red/purplish berry fruit. All the elements are so well balanced. The Grand Vin is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but the blend also includes one lot of young vine Cabernet Sauvignon that was added for its aromatic presence. That decision paid off in spades, as the 2019 is truly magical. 01/2022

98

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2019 Vieux Château Certan was picked from September 23 after light showers the previous day. "We dared to add some Cabernet Sauvignon in 2019, which gives complexity," Alexandre Thienpont remarks, "but the Cabernet was 'killed' in 2020." It has a much more discrete bouquet than the 2018, unfolding with truffle-tinged black fruit. There are fewer marmalade scents than I noticed a couple of years ago, but there is absolutely stunning delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins, like a cousin of the superlative 2016 in many ways, but it may be silkier towards the finish. Elegant yet paradoxically intense, this is VCC at full flight. And it's only on its opening pages! Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium. 06/2024

100

William Kelley

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan unfurls in the glass with a striking bouquet of cassis and cherries mingled with notions of violets, loamy soil, sweet spices and incense. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it's seamless and enveloping, with a fleshy core of beautifully vibrant fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, this perfumed, sensual Vieux Château Certan is a remarkable achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont. 04/2022

98+

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

A wine I wasn't able to taste from barrel, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan is an awesome expression of Merlot that's as singular as they come. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a prodigious, deep, layered bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar pencil, and sappy spring flowers, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, multi-dimensional texture, a great mid-palate, no hard edges, perfectly integrated acidity, and a blockbuster of a finish. It shows the more ethereal, nuanced, elegant style of the vintage, both in its aromatics as well as on the palate, but it has classic Vieux Château Certan opulence and power. This heavenly wine is clearly in the same ballpark as the 2015, 2016, and 2018 and will probably merit a triple-digit rating at maturity. A decade of cellaring is advised, and it should be a 40-, 50-, if not 60-year wine. 04/2022

98

Aldo Fiordelli

James Suckling

Subtle and complex with blackberries, violets, lilacs, roses and hints of ink. So floral, yet subtle on the nose. Full-bodied with incredible polish and beauty, the silky tannins running the length of the wine and going on and on. It builds with sheer elegance and structure. A blend of 78% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 7% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028, but already a joy to taste. 03/2022