Wine Advisor
Certan de May 2023
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Aromas of dark berries, minty cherries, chocolate and creamy new oak introduce the 2023 Certan de May, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy palate that's a touch varietal and ephemeral, concluding with a fleeting, vanillin-inflected finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2023 Certan de May is a potent, dense wine that shows the more opulent side of the year. Ripe, dark-toned fruit, licorice, cloves, mocha and new leather are all amplified in this decidedly overt Pomerol. It will be interesting to see how this comes together with élevage. The oak is a bit strong today, but it works with the wine's style. This is promising.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A juicy and fresh red with good depth of fruit, showing pretty plum and blackberry, as well as bark and mushroom. It’s medium- to full-bodied with chewy tannins that are already integrated and polished. 65% merlot, 25% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon.
Reviewed by: Yohan Castaing
A blend of 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Certan de May opens with aromas of licorice, chocolate and toast, shaped by a marked new-oak imprint. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and structured, it is built around a fleshy core of fruit, framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a firm, assertive finish.
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.
