Chateau Certan de May
Château Certan de May traces its roots back to the very beginning of Pomerol, when the de May family, who had settled in France from Scotland during the Middle Ages, were gifted the estate by royal decree in the 16th century in recognition of services rendered to the crown of France. The estate began producing wine in the 18th century and remained under the management of the de May de Certans family until 1925, when it was passed on to the Barreau family.
Located on the central plateau of Pomerol, surrounded by renowned neighbors such as Vieux Château Certan, Le Pin, Petrus and La Fleur-Pétrus, Château Certan de May has long been acknowledged as one of the top estates in the appellation. The wines' complexity is attributed to the vineyard's unique soil composition, which is a blend of clay and gravel that produces a balance of power, elegance, structure, and freshness.
Jean-Luc Barreau, the current owner, upholds the great tradition of his predecessors by applying meticulous care to the production of the wine. Under the guidance of distinguished consultants Michel Rolland until 2012 and Jean-Claude Berrouet since the 2013 vintage, Château Certan de May benefits from exceptional winemaking expertise. The wine is rich, complex, and powerful, and its natural depth and structure make it capable of significant ageing.
The estate's vines are primarily composed of Merlot (70%), Cabernet Franc (25%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), with an average age of 45 years, and grow on sandy-gravel topsoil with a hard-pan clay subsoil. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel for four to six weeks, followed by up to a month's maceration before 16 months of oak ageing, with 40% new oak.
The 1945 and 1982 vintages are considered legendary, and recent top vintages include 2005, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.
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