A blend of mostly Grenache with Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. Medium Ruby with aromas of ripe black fruits and earthy pepper spice. On the palate complex flavors of cherry and blackberry, with oak, leather, cacao and earthy spice. Full body, well balanced, fine tannins, long finish, perfect now but will last another decade. Outstanding. — 2 months ago
Half-bottle — 3 months ago

@Doug Powers as promised . Dry leaves and plums on the nose. In the mouth spices, cherry , earth and good acid . Certainly the magnum format kept this alive. However for me it had not become complex and had a very clipped finish. — 4 days ago

Decanted and let sit for two hours, with just a quick taste at pop and pour. Delicious.
I’ve been staring at these bottles for quite some time, and while it’s still very early, I feel like I got a pretty good preview of what this has in store. The youth is compressing the fruit on the nose, allowing the oak, earth, flint, spice, and dried flowers to take center stage.
There’s a touch of iodine on the initial palate, followed by increasingly complex fruit. Blue, black, and red fruits all emerged more and more as the night progressed, but they were never really at the fore. Everything feels beautifully integrated, layered, and just a little restrained right now.
Lovely wine, but I’m putting a sticky note on the remaining bottles: do not touch for five years. — 2 months ago

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 1998 pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with positively charming notes of plum, brambles, grilled Poblano pepper, pipe tobacco, dried mixed flowers, a mix of organic and inorganic earth, fine wood and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory. This is about as traditional as it gets and was simply brilliant tonight. Squarely in the zone. Drink now through 2038+. — 5 months ago
Medium straw yellow . Quite rich on the nose , some toasty notes with some wax and yellow fruits , citrus peel, vanilla . On the palate this is all about the texture , quite round but enough balance , blanched almonds , peach. Waxy notes . Good length . Drink now and over the next few years , in a perfect place . — 5 months ago
CNDP 2017 Magnum. Different format bottle and was very good. Definitely a wine that needs time to breathe. Became much much better after being open 30 to 45 minutes. Nose: dark fruit, menthol? Taste: plum, cherry, high acidity. — 7 months ago
This is the third bottle of a 4 pack. There has definitely been some bottle variation, and this is the best so far. Nose is aged Chablis; lanolin, wool, pear, mint, faint butterscotch. Texture is waxy, which is one of my favorite things that happens to aged Chablis. The acidity has tempered down; flavors of dried pear and various other dried orchard fruits, butterscotch, oolong tea, and a saline character. I think this is cresting the hill a bit, but really fascinating. I’ll probably drink the last bottle before the end of the year — 5 days ago

Citron confit, grapefruit, distant reine claude prune, minerality, very nice balance for a hot year like 23. Medium length. Paired with grilled Lobster in Wimereux. — a month ago
This was my Coravin test. It wasn’t ready a number yrs ago. I put it back in the cellar lying on its side. It survived pleasantly. Did not decant.
2004 not the best Bordeaux vintage but there it was in the store reasonably priced. So, I bought this one. Always curious. The 2nd wine from one of my favorite Right Bank producers, Vieux Chateau Certan. 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc.
The nose shows ripe & slightly candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, raspberries, mulberries & plum. Beautiful, gentle, dark spices, dark, rich earth with dry leaves, mid to dark colas, steeped black tea, anise to some black licorice, understated graphite/dry tobacco, undertones of baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & just a slight touch of vanillin,dry crushed rocks/limestone-sandstone, moist clay, brilliant red florals, red roses, dark flowers framed in violets.
The palate has M rounded, dry tannins. The fruits are ripe, juicy, ruby/lush & slightly candied; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries & plum. Beautiful, gentle, dark spices w/ heat, dark, rich earth with dry leaves, mid to dark colas, steeped black tea, anise to some black licorice, dark chocolate baking bar to pudding, mocha, understated graphite/dry tobacco, undertones of baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & just a slight touch of vanillin,dry crushed rocks/limestone-sandstone, moist clay, some volcanic minerals, hints of menthol, brilliant red florals, red roses, dark flowers framed in violets, beautiful acidity with a smartly polished, elegant finish that has length, balance & tone that lasts nearly two-minutes.
Moved between 90-92. Ended 92. Enjoyed w/ a medium rare plus Ribcap. Has another 7-10 yrs of road ahead. — 4 months ago
Gingerbread, cigar box, shoe polish, red bell pepper, fireplace, tobacco leaf, wet earth. Balanced and distinguished. A very chic and classic glass. Beautiful in it’s transition from summer notes to autumn. Drink now. — 6 months ago
Очень приятное, ароматное (при охлаждении) и сладкий чернослив на вкус. У французов. — 7 months ago
David Koenen
Last and best bottle. Blew me away. Beautifully integrated tannins, tobacco, dusty, mineral, ripe fruit; it seems capable of lasting for many more years. Truly magnificent. — 13 days ago