Subtle and complex with blackberries, violets, lilacs, roses and hints of ink. So floral, yet subtle on the nose. Full-bodied with incredible polish and beauty, the silky tannins running the length of the wine and going on and on. It builds with sheer elegance and structure. A blend of 78% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 7% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028, but already a joy to taste.

Score: 99 James Suckling (JS), JamesSuckling.com, February 2022

The 2019 Vieux Château Certan is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. It is very clearly one of the highlights on the Right Bank. Soaring aromatics are immediately captivating. There is an exoticism in the 2019 that I saw from barrel that is evident in the bottled wine, but today, I see more balance and harmony. Crème de cassis, licorice, lavender, spice and rose petal blend into a core of red/purplish berry fruit. All the elements are so well balanced. The Grand Vin is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but the blend also includes one lot of young vine Cabernet Sauvignon that was added for its aromatic presence. That decision paid o" in spades, as the 2019 is truly magical.

Score: 98+ Antonio Galloni (AG), Vinous Media (VM), February 2022

Very deep purple-black in color, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan slowly opens out to reveal a heart-stopping perfume of red roses, kirsch, black raspberries, violets and star anise over a powerful core of plum preserves, blueberry pie and boysenberries plus hints of cardamom, sandalwood and Ceylon tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is achingly graceful, featuring tightly wound layers of crunchy blue and black fruits with tannins so ripe and finely grained, you really have to look for them. The acidity here is absolutely seamless, and the finish explodes into an array of mineral sparks. Be prepared to fall head over heels for this one.

Score: 97-100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown (LPB), The Wine Advocate (WA), June 2020

The 2019 Vieux-Château-Certan has a fabulous bouquet with stunning delineation, a complex array of red and black fruit, sous- bois, tru!e and Seville orange marmalade. The palate is medium-bodied and very precise, with fine-grain tannins, a superb bead of acidity and a peacock´s tail on the finish lingering long in the mouth. I knew this was an awesome Pomerol...but maybe not this awesome! Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

Score: 99 Neal Martin (NM), Vinous Media (VM), February 2023

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan unfurls in the glass with a striking bouquet of cassis and cherries mingled with notions of violets, loamy soil, sweet spices and incense. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it´s seamless and enveloping, with a fleshy core of beautifully vibrant fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, this perfumed, sensual Vieux Château Certan is a remarkable achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.

This 14-hectare estate, divided into some 23 distinct parcels, has produced one of the greatest wines of Bordeaux´s 2019 vintage. Alexandre Thienpont (who took the reins in 1986) and his thoughtful son Guillaume (who is following in his father´s footsteps) work simply but attentively: there´s no smoke nor mirrors at this address, just a terrific terroir (composed of around one-third gravel soils, one third clay-gravel soils and one-third clay soils), planted with some 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and winemaking that brings out its best. After classical macerations, the new wines mature in some 65% new oak from Séguin Moreau and Sylvain for 18 months. The second wine, La Gravette de Certan, is entirely Merlot, mostly from vines planted in 2010 along with a small plot dating back to 1998.

Score: 100 William Kelley (WK), The Wine Advocate (WA), April 2022