Wine Advisor
Certan de May 2017
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2017 Certan de May is a blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine charges out of the gate with bold expressions of preserved plums, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly plus nuances of pencil shavings, forest floor and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers elegantly played black fruits and earthy accents with a lovely frame of fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with a quiet intensity.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A final blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Certan de May is scented of bay leaves, crushed blackcurrants and blackberries with black pepper and tilled earth nuances. The medium to full-bodied mouth is firm and chewy with tightly knit fruit and an herb-laced finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Certan de May is a Pomerol that I am fond of, yet recent vintages have left me perplexed. This vintage does nothing to reduce the number of lines across my furrowed brow. The aromatics never click out of second gear, plenty of earthy, decayed leaf aromas but insufficient fruit to really make the nose gel together. The palate offers dark berry fruit, black truffle and black pepper notes with a fine line of acidity. But I am seeking more depth on the finish that seems to run out of ideas and does not exactly leave you seeking another sip as soon as possible. Not a bad wine, but this terroir has so much potential that I know it can make a far better Pomerol than this.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is very serious for the vintage with a full body, very polished tannins and a long finish. Well done.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
There’s a striking sense of deeply ripe plums on the nose, as well as notes of forest wood, black truffle, wet earth and sous bois. The palate has regal tannin shape and texture. Quite powerful but supple, the tannins carry long and fresh with ripe dark-plum flavors. Try from 2022.
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.
1967(1)1988(1)1990(3)2000(1)2001(1)2004(3)2005(6)2006(3)2008(7)2009(1)2010(5)2011(2)2014(3)2015(5)2016(5)
Package Size
