Château Certan De May, Pomerol, 2021
Vinified under the guidance of renowned consultant and long-term winemaker at Petrus, Jean-Claude Berrouet since the 2013 vintage. Certan de May has received much investment recently, and the results are beginning to show in the glass. Floral and slightly wild aromas of hedgerow fruit, earth, creme de mûre, graphite, red berries and flowers, the fruit is quite translucent and perfumed and finishes with flecks of bitter chocolate and sea salts. Good intensity. 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
critic reviews
A blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Certan de May has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It starts off a little closed, unfurling to reveal notes of warm plums, juicy blackberries, and tar, plus touches of cardamom and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate offers tight-knit restraint, with fine-grained tannins and a fragrant earth-laced finish.
A touch of austerity evident now tasting in bottle, suggesting that there is a bigger tannic structure here than in many Pomerol 2021s, and this has a restrained but enjoyable sense of concentration to the red and blue fruits,with bitter chocolate and smoked fennel on the finish. Acidity still shows the fingerprint of the vintage balanced by slate texture and an extended finish with a jucy, well finessed sign off. Harvest September 27 to October 11. Clay gravel soils.
"A step in the right direction." Those were my sentiments toward the 2021 Certan de May from barrel. Now in bottle, the nose is disappointing, missing fruit intensity and for want of a better word, just a bit anonymous, showing only touches of autumn leaves and earth. The palate is thankfully better, with more depth and fruit concentration than I might have expected. The acidity is well-judged with good body and no herbaceousness toward the finish. Perhaps the aromatics were just closed on the day? Jury's out, but I remain open-minded and keep my fingers crossed for next time.
The 2021 Certan de May has also turned out nicely in bottle, bursting with attractive aromas of dark berries, cassis, licorice and fruitcake, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and dynamic palate with good depth of fruit, supple tannins and impressive length on the finish. As readers may remember, this Merlot-dominant blend incorporates fully 37% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, a figure that reflects the vintage (which favored these varieties) as well as a tendency to replant with Cabernet rather than Merlot over the last decade.