- The wine has been released internationally for £2,880 (12×75).
- “Is going to age beautifully,” thinks Jane Anson.
- The 2019 and other back vintages offer Fair Value.
Vieux Château Certan 2020 has been released En Primeur for €240 per bottle ex-négociant, up 42% on the 2019’s opening price.
The wine is being offered for £2,880 per case by the international trade. This is 20.9% more than the current Market Price of the 2019.
Several back vintages look compelling by comparison. See more Fair Value analysis below.
Critical Opinion
The wine has received high scores from numerous critics. Neal Martin, writing for Vinous, rated it 97-points and said, “there is plenty of sappy black fruit, lip-smacking underlying salinity and a finish that is a doppelganger for Lafleur (despite containing less Cabernet Franc). A gorgeous VCC that exudes both density and refinement”.
“The 2020 is fabulous,” said fellow Vinous taster Antonio Galloni. “There is no Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend this year, the result of dehydration on the vine. I can’t wait to taste it from bottle.”
Jane Anson awarded it a score of 95-points, while Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW of the Wine Advocate gave it a bracket of 98-100.
She wrote: “There are going to be two ways to approach this: 1) Just let the remarkably sensual, inexplicable beauty of it wash over you or 2) Try to unravel all those intricate layers and have it blow you mind. Either way, this is simply an incredible achievement—bravo Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont!”
Fair Value
Despite the positive scores, the 2020 release sits above the Fair Value line when comparing Benchmark Critic scores against prices.
Both the 2015 and 2019 have the same score as the 2020 but are currently available at discounts. The 96-point rated 2006 and 2014 vintages likewise offer both discounts alongside some bottle age.
Our Bordeaux En Primeur 2020 page contains everything you need to know about this year’s campaign. You can also sign up for our daily En Primeur email alerts using the form below.
