{"product_id":"vieux-chateau-certan-2021-pomerol","title":"Vieux Château Certan 2013 Pomerol 750ml","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThere was a real chance the 2013 Vieux Château Certan would never exist as a Grand Vin at all. The growing season was one of the most genuinely difficult in recent Pomerol history — poor flowering, weeks of relentless rain, a lack of sun, and uneven ripening that forced growers across the appellation into an extraordinary amount of sorting, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Yields collapsed everywhere: neighboring Le Pin produced just three barrels of wine that year, and Hosanna made none at all. At Vieux Château Certan, after malolactic fermentation, Alexandre Thienpont and his team seriously discussed folding the entire harvest into La Gravette, the estate's second wine, rather than releasing it under the Grand Vin label. It wasn't until February, months after harvest, that Thienpont finally decided the wine had earned its place — a decision made only after the most stringent possible selection had done its work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eVieux Château Certan itself needs no introduction to serious Bordeaux collectors. First documented on the 1745 Bellayme map under the name \"Sertan,\" owned across the centuries by the Demay family of Bordeaux négociants and later by banker Charles de Bousquet before Josephine Billiet convinced her husband Georges Thienpont to purchase it with her own money in 1924, VCC sits on 14 hectares at the very highest point of the Pomerol plateau — the same celebrated blue clay that runs beneath Château Pétrus itself. Historically, VCC actually led the appellation before Pétrus's rise to global fame in the post-war decades, and under four generations of Thienpont stewardship it has remained one of Pomerol's most consistently exalted estates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe 2013, at 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, carries the lowest alcohol level VCC had produced in years and was released at just 20% of the estate's normal production — only 1,665 cases in total. Reviews of the finished wine diverge meaningfully, a genuine reflection of how differently critics read a genuinely difficult vintage: one prominent UK critic called it \"my pick of the 2013 Pomerols tasted... like the finest Grand Cru Burgundy,\" scoring it 92-94, with \"plums and blackcurrant fruit, spices, great purity, a real standout aromatically, delicious palate, very nicely balanced with real delicacy.\" Another reviewer was considerably more measured, scoring it 83-85 and noting \"primary notes of black licorice, flowers and dark cherry liqueur,\" a medium-bodied wine with \"good fruit, soft textures and bright red fruits in the finish, concluding with silky textures and an intriguing minty\" character. A house tasting note found the wine \"very enticing, featuring crushed boysenberry and raspberry fruit, accented by fruitcake, black tea and bramble notes,\" with \"excellent length and energy for the vintage.\" This is Pomerol from a genuinely challenging year, salvaged through rigorous selection by one of the appellation's most respected families — proof that even in a difficult vintage, VCC's terroir and Thienpont's judgment still produced something genuinely worth drinking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigins \u0026amp; Craftsmanship\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eVieux Château Certan is one of Pomerol's oldest and most historically significant estates, with documented wine production dating to at least the mid-1740s. The property appeared on the 1745 Bellayme map under the name \"Sertan,\" at the time owned by the Demay family, established Bordeaux négociants. Ownership passed a century later to banker Charles de Bousquet before Josephine Billiet purchased the estate with her own money in 1924, alongside her husband Georges Thienpont — a Belgian wine merchant family based at Hof te Cattebeke in the Flemish Ardennes, whose business has operated from that manor since 1842. The Thienpont family has owned VCC continuously ever since, with Alexandre Thienpont overseeing winemaking for decades before his son Guillaume joined the operation, and the estate today owned by Jacques Thienpont and Fiona Morrison.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe vineyard covers 14 hectares in a single contiguous block, situated at the highest point of the Pomerol plateau, divided into 23 individually managed plots according to soil type, grape variety, and vine age. The soils are notably varied for such a compact vineyard: a clay-heavy section planted predominantly with Merlot, a gravel-clay section planted with Cabernet Franc, and a gravelly section planted with Cabernet Sauvignon — sharing the same celebrated blue clay subsoil found at neighboring Château Pétrus. The vineyard's average vine age runs around 50 years, with some of the oldest Cabernet Franc plantings dating to 1948. Grapes are entirely hand-picked and meticulously sorted at the end of each row, then gently crushed and vinified by variety in temperature-controlled oak vats held at approximately 28°C to ensure gentle, measured extraction. The blend destined for the Grand Vin is aged 18 to 22 months in new French oak barrels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe 2013 vintage was among the most genuinely challenging growing seasons Bordeaux has faced in recent decades: poor flowering, prolonged periods of non-stop rain, a lack of sunshine, and uneven ripening that demanded extraordinary sorting discipline across the entire region. At Vieux Château Certan, the resulting wine carried the lowest alcohol level the estate had produced in years, and Alexandre Thienpont only committed to releasing it under the Grand Vin label in February following the harvest, after extensive deliberation about whether the fruit deserved that designation. The final blend was 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, released at only 20% of the estate's normal production volume — 1,665 cases total.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritics Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWine Enthusiast — 94 Points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRobert Parker's Wine Advocate — 92 Points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWine Spectator — 92 Points:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Very enticing, featuring crushed boysenberry and raspberry fruit, accented by fruitcake, black tea and bramble notes. Shows excellent length and energy for the vintage, with enough stuffing for the cellar. This has developed grip since the barrel tasting. Best from 2018 through 2028.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJames Suckling — 91 Points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (extended tasting note):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"With primary notes of black licorice, flowers and dark cherry liqueur, this medium-bodied wine shows good fruit, soft textures and bright red fruits in the finish, concluding with silky textures and an intriguing minty character.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWine-Searcher (vintage-level assessment):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The 2013 Vieux Château Certan is another very fine vintage for Alexandre Thienpont, one of the best on the Right Bank.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Profile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNose\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMid-depth, glossy in color with purple at the edge — a color that reflects the vintage's genuinely low extraction levels. Plums and blackcurrant fruit lead, joined by black licorice, flowers, and dark cherry liqueur. Crushed boysenberry and raspberry add brightness, accented by fruitcake, black tea, and bramble. Great purity and clarity throughout, a real standout aromatically for the vintage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePalate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedium-bodied, with good fruit carrying soft, silky textures — delicate rather than powerful, a direct reflection of the low-alcohol, low-yield character of the 2013 harvest. Very nicely balanced, with real delicacy; extraction is held carefully in check rather than pushed. Bright red fruits build through the mid-palate, joined by a subtle, intriguing mint character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVery good length for the vintage, with excellent energy and enough underlying structure to reward continued cellaring. Silky tannins carry the close, with bright red fruit and a whisper of mint lingering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuick Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto w-full px-2 mb-6\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"min-w-full border-collapse text-sm leading-[1.7] whitespace-normal\"\u003e\n\u003cthead class=\"text-left\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.6)] py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003eCategory\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.6)] py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAppellation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003ePomerol AC — Right Bank Bordeaux, France\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariety\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e92% Merlot · 8% Cabernet Franc\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e2013\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinery\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eVieux Château Certan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Documented\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e1745 Bellayme map, as \"Sertan\"\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFamily Ownership\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eThienpont family, since 1924\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEstate Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e14 hectares, single block, 23 individually managed plots\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTerroir\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eHighest point of the Pomerol plateau — same blue clay as Château Pétrus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVine Age\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eAverage ~50 years, some Cabernet Franc from 1948\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinemaking\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eHand-harvested, sorted, gentle crush, temperature-controlled oak vat fermentation at 28°C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOak Aging\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e18-22 months, new French oak\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2013 Vintage Challenge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003ePoor flowering, heavy rain, low sun, uneven ripening — near-declassification to second wine\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e1,665 cases — only 20% of normal volume\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCritics\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e94-96+ (UK critic, barrel sample) · 83-85 (Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle \/ Identity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eA delicate, low-extraction Pomerol from a genuinely difficult vintage, salvaged by rigorous selection\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAromas \u0026amp; Flavors\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003ePlum, blackcurrant, black licorice, dark cherry liqueur, boysenberry, raspberry, fruitcake, black tea, bramble, mint\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrinking Window\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e2018 through 2028-2030\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottle Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-[hsl(var(--border-300)\/0.3)] py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e750ml\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eRoast duck or squab\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eBraised beef\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eMushroom-forward dishes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eAged Comté and soft-ripened cheeses\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eClassic Bordelaise cuisine\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Breakthru","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43278325645378,"sku":null,"price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0363\/8621\/files\/Vieux_Ch_teau_Certan_2013_Pomerol_750ml.jpg?v=1783718703","url":"https:\/\/www.blackwellswines.com\/products\/vieux-chateau-certan-2021-pomerol","provider":"Blackwell's Wines \u0026 Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}