Location:
Pomerol
Size:
14 hectares (Just under 35 acres)
Vineyards: Vieux Château Certan has soil that is a mixture
of clay and gravel. The grape varieties planted are Merlot
60%, Cabernet
Sauvignon 10%, Cabernet
Franc 30%. The average age of the vines is 35 years.
History:
Vieux Chateau Certan originated in the early 1500's, when the
Demay family, from Scottish roots, came to live on the property.
The estate has been known by its current name since 1745. Charles
Bousquet bought the estate in 1858 and built the buildings that
still stand. In 1924 A wine shipper from Belgium, Georges Thienpont,
bought the chateau. Since 1957, it has been run by a company formed
by later generation of the Thienpont family.
Vinification
& Aging: All grape harvesting is done by hand (as is required
by regulation in the region). A rigorous sorting of the fruit
for quality takes place before the grapes arrive in the cellar.
After crushing, the fermentation takes place in a combination
of large oak tanks and also in temperature controlled stainless
steel tanks. Each grape variety is vinified separately for blending
at a later time. The wines are in the fermentation tanks for about
3 weeks. The wines are finally placed in 100% new oak barrels
for aging. The wines stay in barrel for a period of 18 to 22 months
depending on the vintage. Before bottling, the wines are fined
(clarified) using egg whites. The wine is bottled without filtering.
Style:
The wines of Vieux Château Certan are
perfumed, complex, elegant and slow to develop. Rather than being
massive, fruit forward wines that are more and more the trend,
Vieux Château Certan maintains a very traditional style that seeks
grace and elegance.
