Wine Advisor
Vieux Chateau Certan 1990
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This was a very strong vintage for Vieux Chateau Certan. The 1990 reveals a deep garnet color to the rim along with a sweet bouquet of charcoal, licorice, roasted herbs, forest floor, and a meaty, truffle-like scent. A fleshy, full-bodied wine with exceptionally low acidity, plenty of melted tannin, and a long, layered finish, this beauty is close to full maturity, but it is in no danger of falling apart. It should keep for another 15+ years. Release price: ($590.00/case)
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Deeply-colored, with a marvelously fragrant nose of herbs, berry fruit, oak, and exotic spices, the 1990 Vieux-Chateau-Certan displays surprising opulence and ripeness, more unctuosity than usual as well as admirable structure and definition. The acid is lower, yet the extract level much higher in the 1990 than in the 1989. This is a superlative, medium to full-bodied, multi-dimensional wine. Anticipated maturity: 1994-2005.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A lovely VCC. A deep earthy nose: tar and black fruits. Palate is dense. Immature with slightly muscular tannins. Very concentrated and long. Needs another 5-10 yrs. Tasted February 2000.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Tasted 4 Times With Consistent Notes Deeply-colored, with a marvelously fragrant nose of herbs, berry fruit, oak, and exotic spices, the compelling 1990 Vieux-Chateau-Certan displays surprising opulence and ripeness, more unctuosity than usual as well as admirable structure and definition. The acid is lower, yet the extract level much higher in the 1990 than in the 1989. This is a superlative, medium to full-bodied, multidimensional wine. Anticipated maturity: now-2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This wine continues to put on weight and is looking stronger and stronger every time I go back to it. The color is still a very deep ruby with some purple nuances. The wine seems young and just approaching adolescence, but still has the vintage’s hallmark of super-ripeness and low acidity. The wine exhibits a sweet, almost menthol-infused black currant nose, with a hint of licorice, truffle, and underbrush. It is full-bodied and relatively muscular for a Vieux Chateau Certan, with relatively high tannin but very sweet tannin and a long, very authoritative finish. This is a brilliant wine that balances elegance with authoritative flavor. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025. Last tasted, 1/02.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Deeply-colored, with a marvelously fragrant nose of herbs, berry fruit, oak, and exotic spices, the 1990 Vieux-Chateau-Certan displays surprising opulence and ripeness, as well as admirable structure and definition. According to Alexandre Thienpont, proprietor of Vieux-Chateau-Certan, the acid is lower, yet the extract level is higher in the 1990 than in their successful 1989. There is plenty of chewy fruit in this medium to full-bodied, luscious wine. Anticipated maturity: 1994-2005.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1990, which I previously rated several points higher, is backward and tannic, but promising. I was surprised by the severe level of harsh tannin in the wine, but I believe it is balanced out by sweet, jammy, coconut-scented, spicy, earthy, black currant and cherry fruit. The wine is full-bodied and muscular, with a tannin level that is far more pronounced than in previous tastings. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2020. Last tasted 11/96
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Bipin Desai’s VCC vertical in Los Angeles. This has a slightly deeper colour than the ‘89 VCC. The nose is more powerful, although not as complex with blackberry, leathery, a faint hint of peppermint and pine. The palate is full-bodied with good structure, quite chewy and backward relative to other Pomerol 1990s. Bullish, perhaps gregarious VCC but still balanced with good acidity, never overpowering (well, VCC never is.) It has a grainy texture towards the weighty, glycerin-tinged finish with a hint of dried blood on the aftertaste. It is certainly a great 1990, although the 1989 is a classier affair. Drink now-2020. Tasted November 2008.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1990 Vieux Château Certan is drinking exceptionally well at the moment, although it does not quite possess the charm of the 1989. There is more primary fruit here than the previous vintage: black cherries, iodine and boysenberry, mingling with clove and tarry aromas that emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. There is similar depth here to the 1989 and yet the finish does not quite deliver the same delineation, although that cheeky dab of kirsch is pure delight. This is a great VCC, although I did notice that over a period of an hour, it fails to keep pace with the ever-meliorating 1989. Tasted January 2016.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
The 1990 Vieux Château Certan has a mature colour. It has a lovely nose with freshly picked mint and menthol infusing the red fruit, precocious and yet perfectly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied and more sensual than the 1989 on this occasion. Lovely roundness here, this 1990 has a gorgeous texture with a weighty hickory and truffle-tinged finish that lingers. It becomes more and more gamey with aeration, and I suspect well-kept bottles will offer another 12-15 years of pleasure. Tasted at the Vieux Château Certan dinner at La Trompette.
About the Producer
Among all the Pomerol appellations, Vieux Chateau Certan is one of the oldest, and even Petrus is a latecomer to it. It was called "Sertan" by the Portuguese, meaning desert, poor land and unsuitable for growing crops, but the soil was very suitable for growing grapes. Over time, the name "Sertan" evolved into the homonym "Certan", which is part of the winery's name to this day. The vineyard of Château de la Vieux Sedan covers approximately 14 hectares and is divided into 23 plots. The upper layer of the vineyard is about 30 cm of clayey gravel, while the iron-bearing clay is in the lower layer of the soil. The grape varieties planted are predominantly Merlot (about 70%), with Cabernet Franc (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) making up the rest of the vineyard. The average age of the vines is about 50 years. The harvest is rigorous, with fermentation taking place in temperature-controlled oak barrels and aging in 2/3 new oak barrels, while some vintages, such as 1987, are 100% new oak and aged for 18-22 months. The wines of Old Sedan are made from Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a stylistic departure from the absolute dominance of Merlot in Pomerol. Old Sedan is the most similar to the Medoc style in Pomerol, with a color that is usually less intense, but with firm tannins and a robust body. After a few years of ageing, it is sweet, mineral and perfectly smooth, with a strong persistence in the mouth. The old Sedan has a unique and flawless structure, the new wine has a rather prominent charred leathery taste and the tannins take at least 5 years to soften. The mature wine has concentrated flavors and a perfect balance, not as "powerful" as Château Petrus, but a perfect combination of strength and softness, a unique Pomerol wine.
1958(1)1969(2)1970(1)1974(1)1977(1)1978(1)1981(2)1982(1)1986(1)1987(1)1988(2)1989(1)
Package Size
