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Vieux Chateau Certan

Up to the 1850’s Pomerol boasted only one “Chateau” the very old estate of the de May family that was known then as ‘Certan’. The Chateau originally dated back to the 16th century when the Scottish family, Demay came to live there. In 1858 it was the first to follow in the Medoc fashion of impressive chateaux. This was brought about by the Paris banker, Charles de Bousquet. He added the inevitable slate-roofed tower and reinforced its standing antiquity by calling it Vieux-Chateau-Certan.
 
The style of wine making here incorporates the traditional with the modern. They ferment their wines in oak vats (open wooden tanks). The cap is submerged during fermentation to give better color extraction. (5% of its wine is sold en primeur).
 
Second label: La Gravette de Certan
Area under vines: 13.6ha.
Av. prod.: 6,500 cases.
Distr. of vines: In one piece.
Soil: gravel & sandy clay soil.
Grape varieties: 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec
Pruning: Guyot simple.
Vines per ha.: 5,500.
Av. age of vines: 30 years.
Av. yield per ha.: 35-40hl.
Harvesting: Hand picked.
Added yeasts: No.
Length of maceration: 14-21 days.
Temp. of ferm.: 32C.
Type of vat: wooden.
Vin de presse.: Proportion included, according to vintage.
Age of casks: max. of 33% new.
Time in Barrels: 20-22 months.
Fining: Fresh egg whites.
Filtration: None.
Type of bottle: Bordelaise lourde.
Bottled at the chateau: 100%.
Storage: 5-20 Years.
Service Temperature: 17 C
Food/Consumption: Grilled marinated duck hearts served with green beans and oven-broiled tomatoes.