VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN

Known to insiders as VCC, its origins are estimated to be around 1770, when it was the property of the Demay family. At this time, VCC was considered to be the leading estate of the region, and today it is once again back in the top echelon.

The land was divided after the French Revolution into the various Certan estates, and in 1924 was sold to the Belgian Merchant, Georges Thienpont. It has remained with the Thienpont family ever since. Georges himself came up with the astute idea of placing the now famous pink capsules on the bottles, so he could see if collectors were buying his wine when he visited their cellars.

VCC sits on the top of the Pomerol plateau across the street from Certan de May and down the road from Pétrus. The vineyard is planted with 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a very old average vine age of 50 years. This is one of the most elegant Pomerols, with great richness and silky textures, yet the style depends on the vintage, with some years having a majority percentage of Cabernet Franc, giving it a more structured feel.