2018 La Gravette de Certan, Pomerol

This is the 2^nd wine from Vieux Chateau Certan, one of our favorite properties and one of the most prestigious and highly-regarded estates in Pomerol, Bordeaux. It's made from grapes grown in the same vineyard as the Grand Vin (Vieux Château Certan's primary wine), but typically from younger vines (often less than 25 years old) or from parcels that didn't quite make the cut for the top wine in a given vintage. However, it benefits from the same meticulous care, winemaking expertise, and facilities as the Grand Vin. It allows Vieux Château Certan to maintain the incredibly high quality and consistency of its Grand Vin by being highly selective. Any grapes that don't meet the stringent standards for the first wine are used for Gravette de Certan, ensuring no good fruit goes to waste, but more importantly, preserving the Grand Vin's integrity. Like many properties, they also sell a fair amount of grapes to the bulk market so really only top fruit makes it into any of their bottled wines. Gravette de Certan is designed to be more approachable and enjoyable in its youth compared to the often-austere Grand Vin, which needs significant aging. While it shares the "pedigree" and reflects the terroir of Vieux Château Certan, it offers a more immediate expression of fruit and elegance. 

This wine is predominantly Merlot with 10% Cabernet France as well. For the Right Bank (where Pomerol and Vieux Château Certan are located), Merlot performed exceptionally well in 2018. The warm and dry conditions suited Merlot, leading to wines with richness, concentration, opulent textures, and ripe fruit. Great BBQ wine with burgers, steaks etc. This wine is drinking nice now and will for at least another decade.