Wine Advisor
Vieux Chateau Certan 2001
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A very ripe, opulent, oaky nose. Very smooth seductive entry on the silky smooth palate, polished and svelte. Full-bodied, ripe, blackberry, cassis and plum. Harmonious, plump - almost voluptuous but with good acidity balancing everything up. Superb. Tasted October 2007.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
An unctuously-styled Vieux Chateau Certan, largely because of the high percentage of old-vine Merlot (80% along with 20% Cabernet Franc) that made it into the final blend, this deep ruby/purple-colored 2001 offers up notes of cherry liqueur, camphor, saddle leather and a hint of cedar. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with low acidity, ripe tannin, and an unctuous texture. A brilliant effort, this might be a case where the 2001 equals the 2000. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. This has a well-defined bouquet with noticeable new oak at first, although there is sufficient fruit to support it. Lifted red-berried fruits entwined with cherry liqueur, mint and a touch of orange rind. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a nice sense of tension. Moving firmly into its secondary stage, there are touches of tobacco and dried leaves, a hint of spice and cumin towards the finish. I think this does not reach the full potential of VCC, but still a pleasurable Pomerol. Tasted March 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A rounded restrained black fruity nose with hints of liquorice. Lovely definition on the palate: this is certainly a cut above the rest. Elegant, spicy with understated class and sophistication. Moderate tannins. In some ways just as good as the 2000. Splendid wine. Then at the Justerini Tasting in November 2004. A lifted nose of black truffle, mocha and sea-salt. Very cohesive and refined. The palate is quite exotic with spicy black fruit. Black truffle again with a little vanillin and creme-brulee. Very understated, though I don’t know if this is going to last as long as I initially hoped. Drink from 2006.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Garnet core. Baked cherry, briary, fireside hearth on the nose with good definition and quite generous. The palate is medium-bodied, slightly coarse tannins but good acidity, fresh, touches of burnt toast, allspice and a hint of pepper from the strident Cabernet Franc. Dry, quite austere on the finish.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The dens opaque purple-colored 2001, a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, offers phenomenally sweet aromas of black cherry liqueur intermixed with charcoal, vanilla, new saddle leather, and a hint of fruitcake. It is full-bodied and opulently textured, with low acidity, ripe tannin, and a remarkably layered, unctuous texture that has more in common with the 2000 than 2001. Thienpont feels the unusual blend, with all of the old vine Merlot (from vineyards planted in 1932, 1942, and 1959), has given the wine a profound depth and unctuosity that even the 2000 does not possess. This is a splendid achievement! One of the stars of the vintage, Alexandre Thienpont has been at the top of his game since 1998. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted from bottle at Mark Walford’s annual lunch at Waterside Inn. Alexandre described 2001 as a “merlot year” and certainly on the nose the oak is not becoming fully enmeshed. There is plenty of succulent red berry fruit that has a candied sweetness and precocity that is perhaps not the typical character you expect apropos VCC. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins lending the ‘01 a rigid structure and there is certainly superior tension compared to the ‘02 and lovely tobacco-infused red fruits and spice towards the long finish. This Pomerol appears to be on an upward curve. Tasted May 2013.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Bipin Desai’s VCC vertical in Los Angeles. Juxtaposing this against the millennial VCC, this actually has more precision and clarity on the nose (something of a trait with Pomerol ‘01s.) Blueberries, cassis, violets, limestone and a hint of tar – it is an enticing bouquet. The palate does not disappoint with blackberry, black olive, wonderful definition with great mineralite and poise. A feminine foil to the ‘00, this is an exquisite wine that will drink earlier than others but has the balance and depth to suggest it will be a long runner. For now, it is just completing its first lap. Drink 2012-2030+. Tasted November 2008.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2001 Vieux Château Certan is one of Alexandre Thienpont's favorite vintages, and it is easy to see why. It has a classy bouquet, brambly red fruit, quite luscious in style and aromatics that are determined to seduce. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone that will guarantee this as a long-term Pomerol. There is wonderful tension from start to finish, less sinewy than the 2000, more agile and one could say, "athletic". It is a wonderful wine that is now nipping at the heels of the previous vintage. Tasted from a bottle taken from my own cellar bought on release.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
I have tasted the 2001 Vieux Château several times in the past, but this bottle of Certan came from my own cellar. The bouquet is very refined and, as always, quite Merlot-driven, featuring succulent red fruit and just a faint touch of licorice. More tertiary scents emerge with time, flanked by freshly picked morels. The palate is medium-bodied and graceful – this is not a dense VCC –though I would have preferred more grip toward the finish. This is a wine that I adored from barrel, but it has never quite hit the heights I expected in bottle. Tasted at home.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Saturated ruby-red. Pure but reticent nose hints at plum, raspberry and chocolate. Juicy and sweet but rather closed in the middle palate. Very serious merlot here: this has terrific penetration and structure for a 2001 from the Right Bank. Finishes long and gripping. A very good showing, but this wine really needs seven or eight years of additional cellaring. St. Emilion
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Medium-full ruby. Youthfully austere aromas of bitter cherry, raw currant, tobacco leaf, licorice and shoe polish. Dense, fresh and concentrated, with cool black fruit flavors complicated by an herbal nuance. Quite backward today, but already shows lovely sweetness in the middle. Finishes with fine, firm tannins and very good length. Will rely more on its tannins than its acids for longevity.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A brilliant effort from Alexandre Thienpont, this blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc is a deep purple-colored, fleshy, layered effort offering a sweet nose of creosote, incense, Christmas spices, plenty of red and black fruits, and hints of licorice as well as new oak. Rich, medium to full-bodied, with tremendous purity in addition to nobility, give it two more years of cellaring and drink it over the next following 15-18 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2001 Vieux Château Certan is one of Alexandre Thienpont's favorite vintages, and it is easy to see why. It has a classy bouquet, brambly red fruit, quite luscious in style and aromatics that are determined to seduce. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone that will guarantee this as a long-term Pomerol. There is wonderful tension from start to finish, less sinewy than the 2000, more agile and one could say, "athletic". It is a wonderful wine that is now nipping at the heels of the previous vintage. Tasted from a bottle taken from my own cellar bought on release.
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.
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