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Vieux Château Certan Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1998
...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... Robert Parker
Ratings on Delectable
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The 1998 Vieux Château Certan saw both the Merlot and Cabernet reaching maturity early and, unusually, around the same time due to the Cabernet Franc suffering during the drought. Ergo, the blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvest was September 21 to 26 and cropped at 34hl/ha. The bouquet is far superior to the 1996, as you would expect, quite vivacious and sensual black cherry and raspberry fruit, touches of wild mint, though it becomes pretty Bretty in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, fresh and lively, with fine grip with a crunchy blackberry, tar and allspice finish. This might actually constitute the best bottle of the 1998 that I have tasted. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
The 1998 Vieux Château Certan saw both the Merlot and Cabernet reaching maturity early and, unusually, around the same time due to the Cabernet Franc suffering during the drought. Ergo, the blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvest was September 21 to 26 and cropped at 34hl/ha. The bouquet is far superior to the 1996, as you would expect, quite vivacious and sensual black cherry and raspberry fruit, touches of wild mint, though it becomes pretty Bretty in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, fresh and lively, with fine grip with a crunchy blackberry, tar and allspice finish. This might actually constitute the best bottle of the 1998 that I have tasted. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
9.3
Matt
Elegant, classic, mature. Earth driven, spine of acid driving the wine, resolved tannin/oak. No CF this vintage 90 ME 10 CS (have to double check that). Dried red fruit, currant and raspberry with dark cherry, turned earth, fall leaves, dried tobacco, dried rose, pipe smoke, animal, clove. Brett in in check, quite lovely actually
Elegant, classic, mature. Earth driven, spine of acid driving the wine, resolved tannin/oak. No CF this vintage 90 ME 10 CS (have to double check that). Dried red fruit, currant and raspberry with dark cherry, turned earth, fall leaves, dried tobacco, dried rose, pipe smoke, animal, clove. Brett in in check, quite lovely actually
9.6
Jay McInerney
Novelist, Wine Critic Town & Country, Expensive Wino & Gastronaut
1998 vintage. A great Vcc approaching its peak. Beautiful Merlot fruit with piquant Cab Franc herbs and spice.
1998 vintage. A great Vcc approaching its peak. Beautiful Merlot fruit with piquant Cab Franc herbs and spice.
9.3
Erin McGrath
Fine & Rare Specialist Heritage Auctions
Decanted for a bit but wish it had been for longer. Delicious and still young.
Decanted for a bit but wish it had been for longer. Delicious and still young.
9.1
Gae Saccoccio - NdC
..a little too green and bitter
..a little too green and bitter
8.0Brian DiMarco
Now we are talking
Now we are talking
9.5
Doug Banks
Sales & Marketing Terroir Selections
Insanely good!
Insanely good!
9.3
Greg Gregory
Took some time, about an hour, but this is truly delicious.
Took some time, about an hour, but this is truly delicious.
9.7
Andrew Cullimore
Young looking ruby , medium wide ruby rim . Quite open for business, lovely undergrowth , earthy , touch of tar, cassis, fresh dark plum , granite . On the palate lovely savoury red and dark fruits , grafite . Lovely quite gritty tannin still . Refreshing acidity and Very long length. Great now but will go on for many years on this level .
Young looking ruby , medium wide ruby rim . Quite open for business, lovely undergrowth , earthy , touch of tar, cassis, fresh dark plum , granite . On the palate lovely savoury red and dark fruits , grafite . Lovely quite gritty tannin still . Refreshing acidity and Very long length. Great now but will go on for many years on this level .
9.4
David Nicewicz
Textbook right bank beauty. Perfume of cigar box and sweetness gives way to tons of spice, currants, graphite and plum that you’d expect from a right bank BDX. Only knock on this is that it finishes a little thin, but the flavor profile is there
Textbook right bank beauty. Perfume of cigar box and sweetness gives way to tons of spice, currants, graphite and plum that you’d expect from a right bank BDX. Only knock on this is that it finishes a little thin, but the flavor profile is there
9.4
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