Vieux Château Certan Pomerol 2022

Vinous - Antonio Galloni : 100 Points

(1/2025) The 2022 Vieux Château Certan is s total stunner. Readers will find a magical wine, a Pomerol that satisfies both the intellectual and hedonistic senses. Vertical and explosive, with stunning presence, the 2022 VCC simply has it all. Time in the glass reveals myriad shades of nuance. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and plum literally soar out of the glass. The tannins are present but nearly buried by the wine's deep, layered fruit. But more than anything else, it is the balance, the total sense of harmony, that is most impressive. I simply can’t ask anything more of the 2022, hence its lofty and well-deserved rating. Bravo! Drinking Window: 2032 - 2072.

Vinous - Neal Martin : 100 Points

(1/2025) The 2022 Vieux Château Certan was stellar from barrel. Now, just a week after I retasted the immortal 1947, this latest iteration proves that quality remains as high under Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont as it did during the golden postwar era under Georges Thienpoint. Boasting an intense bouquet of blackberry, briar, iodine and iris flower, this is one of the most complex and mesmerizing wines in all of Bordeaux this vintage, let alone Pomerol. The palate offers exquisite balance, razorsharp tannins, real sapidity and a fabulous grainy texture. The Cabernet components are very expressive and lend a completely different dimension to the finish. This is exceptional. Drinking Window: 2032 - 2075.

Jeb Dunnuck : 100 Points

(2/27/2025) The 2022 Vieux Château Certan checks in as 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 18 months in two-thirds new French oak. Incredible aromatics of blackcurrants, mulled cherries, chocolate, woodsmoke, and flowery, spicy nuances all give way to a full-bodied Vieux Château Certan that builds incrementally on the palate, with flawless overall balance, a deep, layered mouthfeel, and velvety tannins. I love everything about this beauty, and while it's almost impossible to resist today, it's going to benefit from a decade in the cellar and shine for 40+ years. Maturity: 2035 - 2075.

The Wine Independent : 100 Points

This is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, vibrant notes of juicy blueberries, black raspberries, and plum preserves pop from the glass, opening out to reveal a stunning perfume of lilacs, licorice, powdered chocolate, and anise. The concentrated, full-bodied palate is densely laden with shimmery black fruit layers, supported by fantastically fine-grained tannins and wonderful tension, finishing very long and fragrant. It’s so irresistible now, but I suspect it's going to go atomic in another 8-10 years.