Really nice example of Pomerol here, with lots of fresh juicy plums, truffle, cocoa, flowers and dark cherry notes. Soft, but with an edge to the texture, this is drinking very well today. It will probably improve, but there is no reason to wait to pop a cork. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=1998&wine=Vieux%20Chateau%20Certan

Rich and decadent on the nose, with raspberry jam and Indian spices. Full-bodied, with an almost dusty texture. Long and seamless, with beautiful, firm tannins and a racy finish. Wonderfully delicate sweet fruit on the finish. Needs a few more years to open.—'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2011. 1,600 cases made. –JS

As noted above, 1998 was destined to be the inaugural vintage of VCC for the new cépage of sixty percent merlot, thirty percent cabernet franc and ten percent cabernet sauvignon, but due to the season, the grand vin actually ended up being comprised of eighty-five percent merlot, ten percent cabernet sauvignon and only five percent cabernet franc. At age eleven the wine looks to be very promising indeed, but one has to wonder whether or not a VCC such as 1998 with so little cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon will eventually show the classic profile of this estate. The deep and vibrant nose jumps from the glass in a really lovely blend of cassis, dark berries, tobacco, espresso, soil and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and nascently complex, with a rock solid core of fruit, firm, well-integrated tannins, lovely focus and great length and grip on the palate-staining finish. At this point in the wine’s evolution there is still a bit of oak tannin that needs to be more fully absorbed into the depth of fruit here, but the wine is impeccably balanced and this should only be a matter of a few more years of bottle age. This is a very strong and fairly classic example of the vintage that still demands many more years in the cellar before starting to drink it. It will be very interesting to follow this wine and see how it ultimately stacks up with some of the great past vintages of VCC. (Drink between 2016-2050)

A fine offering the 1998 has closed down but there is no doubting its fabulous potential. The color is a dense purple. The wine reveals high tannin huge body and classy black fruits intermixed with minerals spice box cedar and tobacco. A long persistent tannic finish gives this majestic effort a closed but formidable personality. Patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030.

The 1998 Vieux Château Certan has an open, generous and expressive bouquet that I have always found quite exotic in style, thanks to its precocious cassis and blueberry scents, although maturity is turning down the volume. As before, there are subtle notes of menthol developing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, relatively voluptuous in style vis-à-vis other vintages. As the 1998 has aged, I feel it has never kicked on in terms of complexity as I initially hoped. Yet, this remains a thoroughly enjoyable VCC. Tasted over lunch in London. -- Neal Martin