Wine Advisor
Certan de May 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Very deep, almost inky ruby. Very ripe aromas of black cherry jam, prune and licorice show a liqueur-like, roasted quality. Enters the mouth like a sweet, supple fruit bomb, with flavors of red cherries and figs macerated in alcohol framed by mocha and sweet spices, then turns quite tannic and drying on the back. Finishes long but with little vibrancy; I find this style of Pomerol tiring.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2010 Certan de May has a slightly disjointed bouquet compared to the 2010 Clos l’Eglise, broodier and more introspective, but eventually reveals attractive truffle and morel aromas, hints of warm gravel or red bricks. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, taut and crisp with a slightly attenuation towards the finish. But there is wonderful tension and sense of energy. This is a cru that disappointed when I last tasted it in 2014. This is a completely different wine! Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good bright red-ruby. Wild, old-school aromas of spicecake, loam, game and caramel, with a floral element emerging with air. Then sweeter in the mouth, with dark raspberry and beefsteak tomato merlot notes complicated by blueberry and minerals from the cabernet franc component. Finishes fine-grained, suave and dry, with very good spine. This one will need patience.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Certan-de-May 2010 has a rounded, voluptuous bouquet with ravishing black cherry and cassis fruit, hints of crushed violet developing with time. The palate is rounded and generous, soft in the mouth with velvety tannins, although the acidity on the finish is very low and feels dominated by the oak at the moment. You might guess this to be something like Le Bon Pasteur blind - you would be wrong of course. Tasted January 2014.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This estate, which enjoys a fabulous location on the high plateau of Pomerol with neighbors such as Lafleur, Vieux-Chateau-Certan, Petrus and La Fleur Petrus, should produce even greater wines. While I long for a return to the fabulous Certan de Mays of the early and mid-eighties, the 2010 is an impressive effort. Aromas of black fruits intermixed with an iron-like character, soil, oak and earth undertones emerge from this full-bodied, masculine, borderline rustic wine. With abundant concentration as well as elevated tannins, this Pomerol will require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at JP Moueix. Very deep in colour, the Certan-de-May is showing a lot of alcohol and ripeness on the nose with faint prune and fig notes inflecting the decadent black fruits that I find is a little incongruous to the style of the chateau. The palate is full-bodied with ripe saturated tannins, quite a flamboyant Certan-de-May but missing a little precision and poise towards the finish. It does not “sing” like recent vintages. I will seek to re-evaluate this. Tasted April 2011.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Chocolaty, cedary and Christmas fruitcake notes along with some oak, damp earth and forest floor are present in this full-bodied, masculine style of Pomerol, which has a dense ruby/purple color and is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The wine has a nice chewiness to it and is powerful and muscular, but not quite as silky or complex as some of the other top wines of this appellation. Forget it for 5-7 years and drink it over the following 25.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Certan de May opens with notions of sweaty leather and pencil lead over a core of prunes, blackberry pie, dried mint and mulberries with a touch of mincemeat pie. Medium to full-bodied, the palate packs a punch of dense, earth-laced black fruits combined with chewy tannins, finishing spicy.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Gorgeous aromas. Tar, dark fruits and forest leaves on the nose. Full body, with lovely velvety tannins and a long aftertaste of dark chocolate, dark fruits and cappuccino.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Beautiful dense nose with polished dark fruit, leather and wet forest floor. Coffee, sweet tobacco, and Seville orange. Full-bodied and intense on the palate with polished tannins and deep layered texture. Give it four or five years of bottle age to soften. So gorgeous already.
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.
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