Vieux Chateau Certan - La Gravette de Certan 2019
Price: $79.96
| Producer | Vieux Chateau Certan |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Pomerol |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Sku | 604130 |
| Size | 750ml |
Estate philosophy & La Gravette de Certan
At Vieux Château Certan, the philosophy is simple and uncompromising: the best wines are those that most faithfully express the vineyard, guided by minimal technical intervention. While La Gravette de Certan is the estate’s second wine—assembled after final blending decisions for the Grand Vin—it is never treated as an afterthought. In 2019, an exceptional choice was made: La Gravette de Certan was produced entirely from Merlot. The result is a wine of remarkable depth and texture, delivering what Vinous aptly described as “immeasurable appeal.”
The vineyard
The 14-hectare Vieux Château Certan vineyard lies in a single, contiguous block on the Pomerol plateau and is divided into 23 meticulously managed parcels. Clay-rich soils—traditionally the backbone of Merlot here—play a central role in La Gravette de Certan, lending natural density, volume, and resonance. With an average vine age of around 50 years and the moderating influence of Pomerol’s microclimate, even fruit designated for the second wine carries the unmistakable signature of this exceptional site.
The 2019 vintage & the wine
The 2019 growing season unfolded under near-ideal conditions, with a cool, wet winter, an even spring, and a dry summer marked by gradual water stress. Cool nights preserved freshness and aromatics, while timely September rains completed ripening beautifully. As an all-Merlot expression, La Gravette de Certan 2019 shows striking density and polish, ripe yet refined tannins, and beautifully preserved acidity. When tasted recently, the wine was absolutely singing—powerful, seamless, and irresistibly expressive—offering both immediate pleasure and the structure to evolve gracefully over time.
Jeb Dunnuck: 93 Points
The 2019 La Gravette De Certan is a solid second wine offering plenty of up-front richness and suppleness as well as classic Pomerol darker cherry and currant fruits, notes of damp earth, tobacco, and hints of flowers, beautiful balance, and enough ripe tannins to keep it drinking well for over a decade. I’d be thrilled with a bottle on the table.
Vinous Media: 93 Points
The 2019 La Gravette de Certan, 100% Merlot in this vintage, is a total knock-out. Pliant and racy in the glass, with terrific fruit density, the 2019 dazzles right out of the gate with its alluring personality. Bright acids and supple tannins add to its immeasurable appeal. The Gravette, VCC's young-vine, second wine, is a total star.
Wine Advocate: 92 Points
The 2019 La Gravette de Certan is a fleshy, charming wine, bursting with aromas of cherries, minty blackberries and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and giving, it's sensual and succulent, with an enveloping core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids. It's entirely composed of Merlot this year and largely derived from vines planted in 2010, supplemented by a plot planted in 1998.
