![Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol [Bin Soiled]](https://horizonlives3.diageohorizon.com/PR1600/media/images/bottles/family-bottle-0.jpg?fm=avif&q=30 "Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol [Bin Soiled]")
critic reviews
The 1986 Vieux Château Certan marks the debut of Alexandre Thienpont, who cropped-thinned, as it was potentially twice the normal yield, to the chagrin of co-owners Georges and Gérard Thienpont. It was picked by workers from Château Pavie as it was a late harvest and his usual pickers had departed. It saw the first saignée of vats. Unfortunately, in this era, the château was plagued by TCA. Both bottles are found to be corked. Caveat emptor. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove.
Certain austerity and Medoc-like firmness has always fooled me with this wine in blind tastings. The color remains a very healthy deep ruby, and the nose of black currants, cherries, spice box, cedar, and mineral clearly seems more Medooc-like than Pomerol. In the mouth, its firm tannin is still present. The wine has a certain youthful vibrancy because of good acidity and outstanding purity. It is a young, still somewhat unformed, but very promising wine on the way up. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2016. Last tasted, 1/02.