Brilliantly situated in Pomerol between Vieux Château Certan and Château Petrus and opposite Le Pin, Certan de May's relatively small 4.95ha is planted to 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon that have an average age of 45 years. A superstar of the appellation since the Barreau family took over production in the mid-1970s (having owned the property since 1925) both the varietal mix and combination of clay and gravel produces a wine that has superb depth and concentration.
"This is a very attractive wine with blackberry, walnut and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Full body, firm tannins and a fruity finish. Yet, it’s reserved and pretty."
94-95 Points, JamesSuckling.com
"Excellent quality, here the pull through the palate is slow, with bigger tannins than in some of the Pomerols this year, with the Cabernet Sauvignon making an impact in terms of dark yet savoury berry character but also weight and structure. Excellent wine, seriously good quality, give it at least six years before this softens out. 30% new oak.
Drinking Window 2024 - 2036"
94 Points, Decanter
"Deep colour. Slightly stale musky plum dark berry aromas. Richly flavoured and inky textured with musky plum fruits, fine slinky/ chalky tannins and savoury vanilla oak. A touch flat although bright acidity lengthens the palate."
93-95 Points, Langton's
Pomerol, on the Right Bank of Bordeaux’s Gironde River, produces some of the world’s most sought-after wines, including those from such storied properties as Chateau Petrus. Yet Pomerol, the smallest of the fine-wine-producing districts of Bordeaux, offers no Grand Cru or Premier Cru wines: It’s the most significant Bordeaux appellation not included in any quality ranking. At the time of the historic 1855 Classification of Bordeaux, Right Bank chateaux were considered remote and difficult to travel to, and so were ignored by the merchants who created the classification. (St. Émilion, a notable neighbour on the Right Bank, created its own classification system in 1954.)
Pomerol has managed to do quite well without this form of validation. Pomerol’s predominantly clay soil is ideally suited for Merlot, the primary grape used in the appellation. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are also included in Pomerol’s blended red wines. The wines of Pomerol are lush and rich, and generally not as tannic as the Cabernet-based wines of Bordeaux’s Left Bank. Although Pomerol’s very best wines are capable of aging for decades, most are made for immediate consumption. These Merlot-based wines are known for their lush texture, elegance and grace, as well as the softer tannins they offer in comparison to the Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines made elsewhere in Bordeaux.
