Wine Advisor
Certan de May 2008
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This potentially outstanding, dark ruby/plum-tinged 2008 reveals notes of caramel, cedarwood, herbs, earth, foresty and red as well as black fruits, excellent to outstanding density and medium body. The tannins remain elevated so this offering will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age. It should last for 15+ years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. Now, this is a great Certan-de-May. The nose demands a great deal of coaxing from the glass: mulberry, wild strawberry, bright red cherry and crushed stone, opening up nicely but very gradually with aeration as if teasing you. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grippy tannins. Very focused, classy, tight but destined to give pleasure after ten years in bottle. Tasted January 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A classic Certan de May, the 2008 reveals notes of cedarwood, roasted herbs, graphite, underbrush, and copious amounts of creme de cassis and sweet black cherries. Muscular and full-bodied with sensationally ripe tannins as well as purity, this large-scaled, backward, unevolved effort should turn out to be a long-lived wine. It is among the top half dozen or so efforts from this property in the last twenty years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The bouquet is adorable: wonderful definition with maraschino, wild strawberries, a touch of orange liqueur and violets. The palate is full-bodied, very powerful and focused with fine tannins, very good backbone and wonderful purity. Blackberry, wild strawberry and blueberry pie. My only gripe is that it does not fan-out on the finish as I would like it to, though maybe it will with bottle age? Superb. Tasted April 2009.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Wonderful nose of blueberries, spices and light meat, with hints of chocolate as well. Full bodied, with a beautiful structure of ultra-soft tannins and subtle yet rich fruit. Loads going on here. Try it after 2013.
About the Producer
Château Certan de May (or to use its full name, Château Certan de May de Certan) is a critically well-regarded wine estate in Pomerol on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, known for its highly sought-after Merlot-based red wine. The De May (or Demay) family were said to be of Scottish origin, but had lived in France since the Middle Ages, and in Pomerol since the late 1500s. The family became masters of the fief of Sertan, the oldest vineyard in the district. This area also covered the modern vineyards of Vieux Château Certan (which lies just over the road from the winery building) and Château Certan-Giraud (since renamed Château Hosanna), but was divided up after the French Revolution. Since the death of the last de May in 1925, the estate has been owned by the Barreau-Badar family and is currently managed by Jean-Luc Barreau. The vineyard covers five hectares (12 acres), with 70 percent planted to Merlot, 25 percent Cabernet Franc and 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged for 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels, with 60-80 percent new oak. Around 2000 cases are produced each year.
