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chateau certan de may, pomerol 2017
WINE ENTHUSIAST
95
WINE SPECTATOR
93

2017 chateau certan de may, pomerol

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Why We're Buying

Château Certan de May stands for quality above all else. It's part of the reason why the château, fully named Château Certan de May de Certan, only produces 2,000 cases of its grand vin each year. Settling for anything less than the best grapes doesn't fly.

Critics Scores

WINE ENTHUSIAST
95

Wine Enthusiast

This wine is developing well, bringing together tannins and concentrated black fruits. The dominant Merlot gives a solidly jammy character to the bold tannins. It is maturing into a serious wine.

WINE SPECTATOR
93

Wine Spectator

Suave, with a silky frame supporting alluring damson plum, black cherry and raspberry sauce flavors, backed by red licorice and raspberry ganache notes. The polished finish displays energy and length.

JAMES SUCKLING
95

James Suckling

There’s a striking sense of deeply ripe plums on the nose, as well as notes of forest wood, black truffle, wet earth and sous bois. The palate has regal tannin shape and texture. Quite powerful but supple, the tannins carry long and fresh with ripe dark-plum flavors.

ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE
93

Robert Parker's 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.

JEB DUNNUCK
90

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2017 Chateau Certan De May comes from a 13.5-acre vineyard of deep clay and gravelly soils and is 60 Merlot, 35 Cabernet Franc, and 5 Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby/purple-colored, with lots of Cabernet Franc character in its red, black, and blue fruits as well as notes of sappy flowers and earth, it's medium-bodied, has present tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and a great finish. It's nicely balanced, well-made, and is going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for over a decade.

DECANTER
92

Decanter

The two Cabernets make their presence felt right from the off, with some clear floral notes. This is an attractive Certan de May, not quite the joyful delivery of the last few years, but controlled, restrained and complex. It has lovely complexity, and the power is delivered with a light touch, with a slatey texture accompanied by rich black cherry and sweet gooseberry fool notes. A very attractive wine that manages to make the most of these slightly underripe fruit notes by adding juice and layers.

VINOUS
92

Vinous

The 2017 Certan de May is a powerful, dense wine. Graphite, smoke, grilled herbs and dark red and purplish fruit confer a real sense of gravitas that also comes through in the wine's unctuous fruit and overall richness. The 2017 packs a serious punch, that is for sure. Although not the last word in finesse, Certan de May offers plenty of richness and body. It is one of the bigger Pomerols of the year. I would give the 2017 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften.