Château Certan De May, Pomerol, 2017

Name: Château Certan De May, Pomerol
Brand: Château Certan de May
Price: 591.53 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2017 2018 2020 2021 2023 2024

justerini & brooks tasting note

Jean-Claude Berrouet, the former wine-maker at Petrus has been consulting here for a few years and the change of style was really taking effect. We felt that the 2016 vintage was the best yet. The 2017 left us puzzled. It smelt distinctly like unripe Cabernet Franc from the Loire, stringy beans and bell pepper leapt from the glass, then came a wave of sweet liqueur fruit, then a clipped rather green, brutal finish. It lacks cohesion at the moment and has little charm. Luckily we were able to re-evaluate this at The Moueix Home House tasting in London. This sample was brimming with aromas of raspberry coulis and crème de framboise. On the palate, the fruit turns more mineral and gravelly and there are some impressive tannins. A much better second tasting.

critic reviews

93/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2017 Certan de May is a blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine charges out of the gate with bold expressions of preserved plums, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly plus nuances of pencil shavings, forest floor and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers elegantly played black fruits and earthy accents with a lovely frame of fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with a quiet intensity.

DRINKING WINDOW 2022 - 2045

date of review 03/2020

87/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2017 Certan de May is a Pomerol that I am fond of, yet recent vintages have left me perplexed. This vintage does nothing to reduce the number of lines across my furrowed brow. The aromatics never click out of second gear, plenty of earthy, decayed leaf aromas but insufficient fruit to really make the nose gel together. The palate offers dark berry fruit, black truffle and black pepper notes with a fine line of acidity. But I am seeking more depth on the finish that seems to run out of ideas and does not exactly leave you seeking another sip as soon as possible. Not a bad wine, but this terroir has so much potential that I know it can make a far better Pomerol than this.

DRINKING WINDOW 2021 - 2030

date of review 02/2020