Gravette De Certan 2019 (750ML)

94 DE / 94 JA / 93 JD / 93 WI / 92 WA / 17 JR

2nd wine of Vieux Chateau Certan

Lovely soft spicing on the nose, liquorice touches and bramble fruits - gorgeous aromatics on show. Excellent clarity on the palate, this has a silky smooth texture with bright fruit flavours. Extremely youthful and brimming with energy. Fruit forward with cherry and cherry stone nuances. Really quite playful in the best way with charming fragrant touches from start to finish, - 2019 was the 'year of perfume' according to Alexandre Thienpont. So much to like here. Drinking Window 2024 - 2034 - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

This is such a beautiful La Gravette, really one to look out for and recommend. There is lush ripe berry fruit here but also a ton of finesse, and so much Pomerol signature. It will age for a good decade or more, but the plump fruit is already enticing. Unusually this is entirely Merlot, because all the Cabernet Franc is in the main estate wine (and young vines in the world of Vieux Château Certan - that means right up to 25 years old). 50% new oak, 40hl/h. Harvest for La Gravette September 18 to 20. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2019 La Gravette De Certan is a solid second wine offering plenty of up-front richness and suppleness as well as classic Pomerol darker cherry and currant fruits, notes of damp earth, tobacco, and hints of flowers, beautiful balance, and enough ripe tannins to keep it drinking well for over a decade. I’d be thrilled with a bottle on the table. - Jeb Dunnuck

The 2019 La Gravette de Certan, 100% Merlot, is deep garnet-purple in color. It races out with bright, expressive notions of black cherries, raspberry preserves, and fresh plums with hints of crushed rocks and black olives. The full-bodied palate delivers a lively backbone and nice ripe, approachable tannins with a lifted finish.-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

The 2019 La Gravette de Certan is a fleshy, charming wine, bursting with aromas of cherries, minty blackberries and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and giving, it's sensual and succulent, with an enveloping core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids. It's entirely composed of Merlot this year and largely derived from vines planted in 2010, supplemented by a plot planted in 1998. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Relatively open with floral, spice and savoury notes. Lovely fruit on the palate, the press wine adding a bit more gravitas. Definitely the stamp of VCC but more fruit-accented and open.-James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson

Situated in the heart of the Pomerol plateau, with Petrus, Lafleur and Le Pin just a stone’s throw away, Vieux Chateau Certan produces one the of the most highly regarded and sought after wines in the world. As you would expect from a top Pomerol, the prices can be quite lofty and therefore out of reach of many Bordeaux lovers. The 2019 vintage of VCC was universally praised by the critics, earning three near-perfect scores. Released one year after the Grand Vin, their 2nd wine, La Gravette de Certan, represents remarkable value at about a fifth of the price!

We think La Gravette is one of the best "second" wines in Bordeaux. Calling it a "second" wine is actually doing it a huge disservice. The wine is made with all the same loving care and attention as the Grand Vin, but comes from younger vines and typically drinks well at an earlier stage. Yet it will still develop wonderful complexity and can be aged for a great many years.
 
One of the best rules to follow, especially in Bordeaux, is to buy 2nd wines from the best properties in great vintages. We encourage you to follow that rule!