1950 Vieux Chateau Certan
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Tasting notes
My birth year and quite famous for Pomerol. (According to Alexandre Thienpont, Certan de May is the best of the 1950 Pomerols.) ‘An abundant but varied vintage. Good flowering, hot and quite stormy summer (especially in August) and damp September with some heat spikes going up to 38 °C. Yields were double those of 1949 as harvested under changeable, wet weather. Broadbent called it: “Middleweight but can be surprisingly nice.”’ Ruby/rust colour. Heady. Sweet fruit with an impression of dried rose petals. Broad appeal on the nose. Quite a presence on the palate. Flattering with just enough freshness to keep it lively and no obvious tannin. Charming. (JR)
Critic scores
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Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
It has been many years since I last tasted the 1950 Vieux Château Certan; then, two came along within a few months. This bottle testifies that while the Left Bank is ordinary, the Right Bank could excel (in the right hands). There is just a small tuile rim that gives away its age. Red pastille scents on the nose are infused with leather and pressed rose petals, conveyed with fine definition and presence. But the aromatics blossom with aeration, developing more Médoc-like traits thanks to the Cabernet component. This is very classic in style. Medium-bodied on the palate, this 1950 has terrific depth. It's a little grainy in terms of texture, the red fruit tinged with dried blood and cedar, lightly spiced toward the finish that coheres marvelously with aeration. After 15 minutes, it possesses an almost Burgundy-like allure. Wonderful. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove.
What a colour! This was only a tiny shade lighter than the 1975 Église-Clinet served alongside it and was just as rich if not richer. Certainly a wine from another era that was probably stuffed full of tannins in its youth but it has really developed beautifully. Lovely spice and still going strong. Grainy with a touch of gaminess. What a treat. (JR)
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.