1945 Vieux Chateau Certan
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Tasting notes
‘What a joy to have such a fabulous vintage to celebrate the end of the war! Heavy snow at the beginning of the year, followed by a dry period until March. April was unseasonably hot, which allowed the vines to grow precociously until frosts on April 30th decimated up to 60% of the crop to be followed by hail, mildew, and summer drought up to the 13 September harvest date, when picking begun under perfect conditions.’ Recorked and kept in excellent condition by a friend of the Thienponts. Roy Richards was accused of having drunk the family stocks during Etikhove visits! Deep shaded blackish ruby. Treacle-toffee nose. With violets. Lots of charm and interest here. In good condition. Fine dusty tannin on the end. Really serious and long. Lots of fun and complexity. Firm and long and still lots of potential. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 1945 Vieux Château Certan is a vintage that I have been fortunate to encounter twice before, and this bottled had been recorked at the château. This year, frosts on April 30 decimated the vineyard so that 60% was lost before hail, mildew and drought. It wasn't an easy growing season, but the harvesters went out on September 15. The 1945 is deep in color with light bricking on the rim. The bouquet is heavenly. Fabulous delineation, dark cherries, touches of camphor, star anis and Seville orange marmalade unfold with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a showstopper. Amazing concentration even after so many years, filigree tannins, layers of red fruit laced with white pepper, sage and traces of marmalade. There's profound complexity on the finish and extraordinary length on the aftertaste. Ineffably brilliant. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove.
Tasted 2 Times With Consistent Notes Tasted twice and rated highly each time, the 1945 is an exceptional winemaking effort in what can be a frightfully tannic vintage. It exhibits a dark, murky, plum color with little garnet at the edge. It also possesses a huge nose of smoked meats, black-raspberries, plums, licorice, and tar. Dense, chewy, and powerful, with gobs of tannin, and amazing fruit extraction, this full-throttle wine must be at its plateau of maturity, yet I see no reason it cannot last for two more decades.
About the producer
The original Château at Vieux Château Certan dates back to around 1770 but the modern history of the estate begins in 1924 - the year that Belgian wine merchant Georges Thienpont purchased the property.