2020 Chateau Certan de May Pomerol AC

Decanter.com – 94 pts – GH: *Ripe fruit aromas alongside vanilla and cinnamon, dark and brooding with soft floral flecks. A little more serious than I was expecting, this is taught and focused, direct, streamlined - it feels little tight and withholding some of its joy right now. Clearly powerful and potent, a core of ripe fruit but the salinity is showing through with wet stone, graphite, pencil lead touches alongside cool minty blueberries. Feels as If it hasn't quite hit its stride, but it's sleek with a lovely tannic impression. A bit of heat comes across in fig elements, with some cedar and cinnamon and liquorice spicing, but it works well with the vintage, taking what was given and presenting a fuller, bolder style. Will take time to come around but will be lovely when it does. They haven't tried too hard here and I love the focus and purity you get on the mid-palate.* - 01/2023

Falstaff Magazin - (92-94) pts - PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Ockerrandaufhellung. Rote Kirschen, ein Hauch von frischen Pflaumen, floraler Touch nach Hibiskus, Orangenzesten sind unterlegt, helle Schokolade klingt an. Saftig, reife Herzkirschen, gute Frische, intgerierte reife Tannine, salzig-mineralisch unterlegter Abgang, bereits harmonisch, zarte Röstaromen im Nachhall, zeigt gute Länge.* - 05/2021

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 90-92pts: *Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Certan de May gives up compelling notes of ripe, juicy black plums, fresh blackberries and black cherry compote, plus suggestions of lavender, wild sage and clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate is softly textured with bags of freshness framing the generous black fruits, finishing on a savory note.* - 05/21

Vinum Magazin – 17/20 pts: *Gehört zu den Weinen, die nicht nur jahrgangsbedingt fruchtig und opulent wirken, sondern auch Mineralität, Rasse und Charakter aufweisen, daher besonders zu empfehlen.*

WeinWisser – 19/20pts – GL, TW: *Ungeheuer vielschichtiges Bouquet, Wildkirsche, Lakritze und rote Pflaume, dahinter Holundergelee und zarte Fliedernote. Am verführerischen Gaumen seidige Textur, feinkörniges Extrakt gepaart mit edler Salznote, balancierte Rasse und engmaschiger Körper. Im gebündelten langanhaltenden Finale mit schwarzbeerigen Konturen, dunkler Mineralik und edler Adstringenz. Ganz großes Pomerol-Kino! Hat nicht jeder auf dem Schirm.* – 03/2023

JancisRobinson.com - 17,5/20pts - JL: *Deep and reserved at present but a dark-fruit nuance and the aromatic complexity is there. Vibrant palate, fine and persistent, the tannins building in a linear way. Lovely balance and freshness. Real wine with ageing potential. Could be the best yet. Drink 2027 – 2045* - 04/2021

JamesSuckling.com - (95-96) pts - JS: *This very refined with polished, chewy tannins and black olives. Medium-to full-bodied, the tannins are chiseled and energetic. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon.* - 05/21

Vinous.com – 91 pts – AG: *The 2020 Certan de May has come together nicely. It remains a powerful, perhaps even monolithic, Pomerol, and yet it offers very good balance. A blast of black cherry, gravel, dried herbs, licorice and incense announces this decidedly brooding Pomerol. There's certainly plenty of depth and big tannins to match. The substantial finish is impressive. I would give this a few years in bottle to see what happens. The 2020 is a bruiser, that much is pretty evident.* - 12/2022

The Wine Cellar Insider - (94-96) pts - JL: *The first thing you notice is the pronounced note of cinnamon followed by toast, plums, wet earth, violets and dark cocoa. Deeply colored, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, silky, fresh, lifted and polished. The spicy finish, with its refined cherries and plums is long, vibrant and sensuous. This will age and evolve for at least 2 decades or more with little effort.* - 05/2021