Chuck Hayward, JJ Buckley, April 2011

86% merlot, 8% cabernet franc, 6% cabernet sauvignon. Forward yet restrained aromas of blackberry and stone leap out of the glass. On the palate, there is a core of blackberry jam with dark chocolate that melds into an almost creamy, viscous texture. But this beautifully poised wine maintains finesse and does not become overripe. The great length is beautifully proportioned and ends with tannins which have presence without being overbearing in texture. An artisanal Pomerol and a great expression of the vintage. Best in 20 years.

100 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, February 2013

A perfect wine with perfect purity of fruit. It shows gorgeous aromas of blackberries, currants and cedar with hints of chocolate. Full body, with a lovely sweetness of fruit and ripe tannins. It goes to chocolate, hazelnut and spices. Nutmeg too. Sexy and incredible. It has so much depth of fruit and density. Better in 2020.

Jancis Robinson, April 2011

Very small crop - 35 hl/ha (compared to 42 hl/ha in 2009). A Merlot vintage; only 8% Cabernet Franc. Average IPT is 90, with lots of acid. Very dark crimson. Pretty floral and scented and pretty. Very concentrated and intense. Lots of minerals on the finish. Lovely rich satisfying undertow. Hint of ripe pears oddly enough. Lovely completeness. Great balance and build. Very, very long. The strongest right-bank wine so far. Excellent layers. Very serious - a marvellously intellectual Merlot! 18.5 out of 20.

99 -100 points,

Jeff Leve, TheWineCellarInsider.com, April 2011

The chateau produces wine in vintages that favor Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, or Merlot. 2010 as well as 2009 are vintages where the Merlot clearly excelled and became the preponderance of the blend. The assemblage in this vintage is 86%Merlot, 8% Cab Franc 6% Cab Sauvignon. This is even more dominated by Merlot than the 2009, which came in at 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. Shaped by low yields and high alcohol, the wine clocked in at 14.5% alcohol. The IPT levels are equally high at 90. As a point of reference, this level of IPT recorded in 2010 is the same as the chateau recorded in their press wine a decade ago. 2010 Vieux Chateau Certan resembles dark, purple ink. Exotic liqueur aromas, plums, truffle, flowers, chocolate and spice aromas are found with little effort. The mouth filling wine paints your palate with sexy, ripe, liquid silk sensations. Spice, rich black licorice, pure plum and blackberry flavors coat your taste receptors. The long, seamless, intense, pure finish was too good to spit. When Alexandre was not looking, I put the wine where it belonged, twice! Sadly, this will not be cheap. However, if you're seeking a historic Pomerol legend in the making, this is the wine to buy.

96 points,

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, November 2012

The 2010 was, as Alexandre mentioned, a "merlot" year and there is 25% less Cabernet Franc in the blend. If I am being truly honest (and that has got me into a lot of trouble this year) I am missing that component on the nose. For sure, it has wonderful purity and focus, subtle raspberry and cranberry notes that are incredibly well defined, but I just miss that edginess that the Cabernet Franc imparts. Still, I cannot deny there is superb minerality here. The palate is quite broody on the entry: good density, a little softer than I expected, but with lovely spicy notes intertwined in the black, slightly tarry fruit. It is a little "gawky" after bottling so it will gain more harmony and composure. The finish is masculine, typical of the vintage, with a long tertiary aftertaste. Very fine...of course.

99 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, March 2013

What an amazing duo of wines from proprietor Alexandre Thienpont, who thinks his second wine, the La Gravette de Certan, is better in 2010 than many of the vintages of Vieux Chateau Certan produced in the 1970s - and I agree. It is a complex, relatively evolved style of wine that represents one-third of the production in 2010. An equal-part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it has a deep purple color and a wonderfully sweet nose of raspberries, black cherries, mulberries, licorice and foresty notes. Full-bodied and evolved, this wine has gorgeous texture and remarkable opulence. It can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.

97 points,

Wine Enthusiast, May 2013

A beautiful, velvety smooth wine, unusually for Vieux Château Certan dominated by Merlot. It has tannin, to be sure, but these are conveyed through the ripe fruit and the sweetness of the blackberry flavors. It is opulent, although never too much, retaining its elegance. Age for many years. -R.V.

98 points,

Wine Spectator, January 2013

A stunner, this marries structured tobacco, ganache and loam notes to a glorious core of raspberry, blackberry and plum coulis flavors, accented by coffee, roasted mesquite and black tea aromatics. A terrific minerality courses throughout, with the finish letting power and refinement play out almost endlessly. Best from 2017 through 2040.-J.M.

About Winery

This winery covers 35 acres in one block using careful analysis on all aspects to yield the best possible grapes in every vintage.  Today the estate's vineyard is comprised of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Shipping Details

This is a pre-arrival item. You will be contacted once this product has arrived at our warehouse to arrange delivery.

Need it faster? Call us now at (888) 859-4637 for special arrangements.

Free storage available. We offer free 6 months storage for any wine purchased at JJ Buckley. We highly recommend storing your wines during the summer months to avoid heat damage during shipment.

For a shipping quote, add this product to your shopping cart. From there you will be able to enter a zipcode and get a detailed quote. For full details on our shipping policies, click here.