The 2020 Vieux Chateau Certan is a Bordeaux Blend from the Pomerol sub-region of Bordeaux, France. This red wine, produced by Vieux Chateau Certan, features a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, and is sealed with a cork closure. With an alcohol content of 14.5%, this vintage has captured the attention of several renowned wine critics.
James Suckling awarded the wine a score of 97, noting its “restrained minty notes with cassis, anise and clove, straw, and assertive balsamic character.” He describes it as full-bodied with a milk-chocolate flavor and youthful tannins that are still oaky and chewy. Suckling suggests that the wine will be best enjoyed after 2030, highlighting its potential for aging.
William Kelley of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate also scored the wine 97 points. He highlights its deep and concentrated profile, bursting with aromas of blackberries, sweet spices, rose petals, orange zest, burning embers, and violets. Kelley notes that this vintage has a more broad, unctuous profile compared to the 2019, but may not prove to be as long-lived.
Jeff Leve of TheWineCellarInsider.com gave the 2020 Vieux Chateau Certan a perfect score of 100, describing it as “an extraordinary effort” with a “haunting perfume” and a bouquet of flowers, black, red, and blue fruits, chocolate, spice, espresso, and truffles. He praises its polished, velvet textures, and a finish that lasts over 60 seconds, emphasizing its potential to become a legendary vintage.
Jeb Dunnuck also awarded a perfect 100 score, calling it “another legendary wine from this vintage” and praising its deep, powerful, full-bodied style with incredible purity and precision. He notes its dark cassis, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco-driven aromatics, suggesting it deserves 8-10 years of bottle age and will be a 40- to 50-year wine.
Decanter’s review, which scored the wine 98 points, describes it as “pure, classy, understated,” and “effortlessly stylish yet beguiling.” The review notes its rich and ripe black fruit flavors, well-integrated tannins, and thrilling acidity.
Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss, who scored the wine 97 points, highlights the richness and density provided by the high Merlot content, emphasizing its structured and stylish nature with a dense texture promising long-term aging.
Jane Anson awarded the wine 96 points, noting its “tension, structure, complexity,” and “waves of violet, rose petals and slate.” She emphasizes its elegant and balanced nature, predicting it will power through the decades.
Finally, Neal Martin from Vinous also awarded the wine a perfect 100 score, describing it as “sensational, multi-dimensional” and comparing its aromatics to a vintage Rolls Royce.
Overall, the 2020 Vieux Chateau Certan has received exceptional reviews, with several critics predicting it will become a legendary vintage.