The wine has notes of menthol, licorice, truffles, dark cherries and blackcurrants. It is a complex and full-bodied wine with a nice structure.
70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Can be recommended for
Beef, game and cheese.
Situated on Pomerol’s coveted central plateau and surrounded by famous neighbors such as Vieux Château Certan and Château La Fleur Pétrus, Château Certan de May has long been recognized as one of the appellation’s finest properties.
Château Certan de May’s origins go back to the earliest days of Pomerol. The De May family, who settled in France from Scotland in the Middle Ages, were gifted the property by royal decree in the 16th century. The estate began producing wine in the 18th century and was run by descendants of the de May de Certans until it passed to the Barreau family in 1925.
The wines owe their complexity to the vineyard’s soil composition, a mixture of clay and gravel that unites power and elegance, structure and freshness. The balance of the wines from Château Certan de May illustrates the unique complementarity of these terroirs. Director and co-owner Jean-Luc Barreau applies all his care and attention to producing wine with an emphasis on tradition as well as new technologies. From the 2013 vintage, Château Certan de May is vinified under the guidance of the renowned consultant Jean-Claude Berrouet.
Château Certan de May is sold today on an exclusive basis by Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix, which is located in the town of Libourne right down to the beautiful Dordogne river. Today, they own, among other things, the following castles: Ch. Belair Premier Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion, Ch. Trotanoy Pomerol and Ch. La Fleur Pétrus Pomerol. Besides Ch. Certan de May they also sell on an exclusive basis i.a. Château Bourgneuf Pomerol and L’Hospitalet de Gazin Pomerol.
Wine enthusiast
94 POINTS
April 1, 2018, Roger Voss
“With its proportion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has an elegant profile, while the Merlot reflects the vintage’s natural opulence. Acidity, concentration and black fruits are all there along with the tannin that will allow the wine to age. Drink from 2026.”
Vinous media
94 POINTS
March 1, 2018, Antonio Galloni
“2015 Certan de May is deep, powerful and impressive. Dark blue/purple fruit, lavender, spice and mint are some of the many notes that fill the frame of the wine. Vertical in feel, with powerful tannins, 2015 needs time to come all together. Still, it doesn’t seem to be a very refined wine. The blend is 80% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.”
The wine lawyer
95+ POINTS
February 21, 2018 Lisa Perrotti-Brown
“2015 Certan de May is composed of 80% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc, with a medium garnet-purple color and nose of warm red cherries, mulberries, crushed red and black plums and raspberry leaves with hints of wild thyme , dried roses, cloves and eucalyptus.Medium to full-bodied and with great harmony in the mouth, the palate delivers lots of red and black fruit layers mixed with floral and herbal accents and framed by a firm, ripe, fine-grained backbone that finishes with wonderful length and freshness. “
