1959 Vieux Chateau Certan

Fiona Morrison MW’s birth year. ‘This vintage gave Bordeaux a boost since it produced both quality and quantity. January was changeable. February was warm with cool nights. Spring like weather in March with heavy rain at end of month. April and May warm with good weather during flowering. Summer dry, mild and sunny. Rain showers in September helped grapes. Picking from 18 September. Some difficulty during the fermentation because of the warm weather.’ Rather a disappointment. A little old and drying without the expected opulence. Slightly cheesy finish and some obvious VA. What a shame! (JR)

The 1959 Vieux Château Certan can be spectacular on its day…unfortunately, this was not one of those days. This vintage was picked from September 18, although apparently, fermentation was difficult due to warm conditions during fermentation and the lack of equipment to regulate the vat temperature, which predicted some volatility. It has a vibrant, precocious bouquet with noticeable VA. The season's warmth comes through and erases some of the Pomerol DNA. The palate is sweet and candied with kirsch and orange zest, though it feels a little short compared to other vintages. It's nowhere near the awesome bottle poured in 2019, hence the question mark against my score. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove.

The 1959 is not so simple, offering little more than earthy and very leathery tones on the nose. However, the medium-bodied palate shows an enticing, silky texture and a hint of grip to the structured finish. A touch of bitterness adds an extra dimension at the end. (AF)