1971 Vieux Chateau Certan
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Tasting notes
‘A good vintage with some stylish, elegant wines with Pomerol being one of the best appellations. Very cold winter. Cold, wet spring apart from a warm April. May and June relatively cold and rainy especially during flowering with one third of crop lost to coulure. Hail damage in Pomerol on June 14th. Summer warm and sunny with some light rain, fine weather in October with harvest at the beginning of the month. Small vintage with alcohol levels around 11.5–12%.’ Still crimson with some blue hue. Complex nose. Plummy. Richer than the 1970. Tamarind fruit – sweet and salty – and very lively. Ethereal but on the way down. (JR)
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Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 1971 Vieux Château Certan is a vintage that suffered hail damage on June 14, after one-third of the crop was lost to coulure. It was a small crop picked from early October, where alcohol levels were 11% to 12%. It has a similar hue to the 1970, the nose offering red berry fruit, slightly savory, a whiff of andouillette and incense. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, lighter than the previous vintage, and lively with heart-warming piquancy on the finish. This is a delicious, open-hearted 1971 Pomerol. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove.
The 1971 Vieux Château Certan is one of the go-to vintages from the seventies. Mature in appearance with a wide tawny rim, the nose retains attractive scents of dried blood mixed with oxtail, certainly fully mature and maybe reaching the end of its peak. It's a bit rustic and animally. The palate is fully mature with notes of orange rind and black pepper, the tannins slightly coarse, and yet it exhibits commendable weight and presence, despite a little volatility on the finish. 'Tis a charismatic VCC. Tasted three times.
The 1971 Vieux Château Certan is a wine that I have tasted on several occasions. It remains one of the go-to vintages from the seventies, although it is probably inching towards the end of its drinking plateau. It has a mature appearance with a wide tawny rim. The nose is still attractive with scents of dried blood, oxtail and just a touch of heather, certainly far into its secondary stage. There is rusticity here, "old school" Pomerol. The palate is fully mature with notes of orange rind and a pinch of black pepper. The tannins seem a little frayed at the edges, but there is still commendable weight and presence on the finish, which has a little volatility seeping through. It's a VCC full of charisma and charm, though I would be inclined to drink bottles sooner rather than later. Tasted June 2015.
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.