Have been drinking a few VCCs from the early 2000s. Though not from celebrated vintages, these have been nice to drink and a decent value.
-
2002 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9/17/2021)
Great example of why when the value is right, buying a top producer in a meh vintage can work well.
Cork was brutal to get out and broke apart. Color is dark garnet with some purple, grey brown around the edges. Wine definitely looks a bit old but is fine on inspection. Nose is heavy pipe tobacco, leather, tar, plum, and wild blackberry. Good intensity to the nose. Palate a touch thinner and is medium bodied with red cherry, green pepper, plum, smoke. Mid palate is very pleasant but doesn’t quite have the intensity of the nose. Tannins still present but are mostly smoothed out. Acidity fairly high, making one think this vintage didn’t quite achieve ripeness.
Lacks the complexity and intensity of the 2001 or 2000, but overall a very nice wine from a favorite Bordeaux producer. (94 pts.)
-
2001 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (6/26/2021)
Just in a wonderful place now. Cork fully intact, was tough to pull out. Decanted 30 minutes.
Color is reddish purple, fairly dark and concentrated. No bricking, wine looks almost young. On the nose is campfire smoke, plum, dark chocolate, and truffle. The complexity of the nose is an early signal that something special is happening.
On the palate notes of bing cherry, truffles, caramel and plum. This is complex in the mouth, with a nice lushness and touch of minerality. There isn’t much acid here, and yet this doesn’t feel off balance. Finish is long and lingering, really staying with you.
In a good place right now, just hitting that nice mellowness of older Bordeaux, but not yet really showing secondary flavors. Should have another 10-15 years of life left. (96 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker