The Morning That Changed Everything: Our Transformative Visit to Vieux Château Certan

After spending several incredible days exploring the Left Bank (which you can read about HERE and HERE) and diving into the Right Bank (which you can read about HERE and HERE), we were about to experience what would become the pinnacle of our Bordeaux journey. While yesterday's visits to Pavie and Cheval Blanc had shown us different interpretations of Right Bank excellence, nothing could have prepared us for what awaited at Vieux Château Certan (VCC).

THE MORNING THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

As we drove up on this beautiful sunny morning, Michel pointed out Alexandre Thienpont's older Subaru in the parking lot - a humble choice for someone of his stature, and a telling detail about the owner who actually lives at his château rather than maintaining a Paris residence like many of his peers.

The reunion between Michel and Alexandre was touching. Michel presented his friend with a bottle of champagne he selected at ETS Martin, saying "I've been looking forward to seeing you again." Alexandre's warm response that he had been looking forward to seeing us as well set the tone for what would become an extraordinary visit.

Alexandre attempted to conduct the tour in English but often switched back to French when searching for precise words, with Michel smoothly translating. His passion transcended any language barriers as he showed us around the property. He shared a delightful story about collecting an acorn from New York's Central Park, his face beaming with pride as he pointed to the young and now-thriving tree he had planted here at VCC.

Suggesting we move out of the hot sun, he led us to the shade of a magnificent tree. In this cooler spot, he enthusiastically pointed out where the Tour de France had passed by his château, revealing himself as an avid cycling fan. Then in the vineyard, he spoke of his vines as if they were children - some well-behaved, others mischievous, but all loved equally. He had named each one, demonstrating an intimate connection to his land that felt worlds apart from the corporate approach we'd seen at other estates.

My wife Dio later shared her impressions of our time with Alexandre: "He took us on a tour of his property, showing us the cherry trees where birds had eaten the fruit before it ripened, and pointing out which trees his grandfather had planted versus the ones his father added. The way he could name each vine... we spent thirty wonderful minutes just walking the property while Michel translated for us. He explained about the white and blue clay that give his wines their specific character. You could see his beautiful soul - he was truly in love with his property and his wine."

When Dio asked Alexandre why he chose to follow in his family's footsteps rather than pursue his legal career, his response was refreshingly honest. "Once you get married," he explained through Michel's translation, "you have to provide. Parents no longer provide, so I had to work." He found law boring, so he turned to the family business - a decision that would prove transformative for both him and the estate. Today, he runs the property alongside his son Guillaume Thienpont.

TOURING THE WINERY

Beautiful rose bushes adorned the walls as we entered the winery.

In the vat room, we saw their wooden tanks, alongside empty OWC boxes waiting for the 2021 vintage.

Then we entered their impressive barrel room.

THE REVELATION

The formal tasting began in the barrel room with an unexpected detail that spoke volumes about Alexandre's attention to the quality of his wine. Before having us taste the 2017 La Gravette de Certan, he first used it to season our glasses - a technique I use myself with special wines to ensure no trace of dust or detergent in the glassware affects the wine's character. In all our tastings across Bordeaux, this was the first time we'd seen this level of care.

The 2017 La Gravette de Certan proved to be the finest second wine we tasted during our entire Bordeaux trip, earning 94 points from me - better even than some first wines we'd encountered earlier in the week. Between wines, Alexandre's playful personality shone through - as you can see in this video, his wonderful sense of humor added another layer of warmth to an already special tasting.

The next and final wine, the 2015 Vieux Château Certan, took my breath away! Alexandre tasted it first and asked us to wait ten minutes after pouring before we continued because it wasn’t quite ready - a request we gladly honored. Over the next 45 minutes, with multiple pours (a unique privilege among our Bordeaux tastings), we witnessed this wine evolve into something truly magical. The last few sips approached perfection, showcasing an unprecedented combination of elegance, balance, and silky texture. I scored it 99 points - my highest score ever for a wine. No one around the tasting table spit this wine. We all just drank and enjoyed this wine!

What made this experience even more special was watching Alexandre himself drinking and enjoying his wine alongside us with equal enthusiasm. Dio, who typically approaches wine in binary terms - either she likes it or she doesn't - simply declared, "I finally found a wine I like!"

The tasting proved so engaging that Alexandre lost track of time, having to leave abruptly for his next tour. His sincere apologies and obvious reluctance to end our visit spoke volumes about his genuine enjoyment of sharing his wines and story with others.

The visit and tasting proved so transformative that immediately after our last tasting, we headed straight back to ETS Martin and bought every bottle of 2015 VCC they had in stock.

SAVORING THE MOMENT

We headed to lunch at La Table du Catusseau, choosing their lovely outdoor seating to enjoy the beautiful weather. The 2022 Domaines Ott By.Ott Côtes de Provence Rosé provided a perfect refreshing counterpoint to the serious reds we'd been tasting, earning 89 points from me and impressing me enough that I added some to my growing collection at ETS Martin later that day.

During lunch, our conversation with Michel turned to VCC's wines. While he had just one bottle of the 2015 vintage available, he offered several other vintages from 2003-2019. I couldn't resist adding several of those to my collection. Michel then suggested we return to ETS Martin later - we might find more of the 2015 there, and after that morning's tasting, I wanted to secure as many bottles as possible to enjoy in the future and remember this extraordinary day.

I also later decided to pre-order a case of the 2022 vintage from Double P Imports despite not having tasted it. Why? During our conversations, Alexandre had mentioned that he believes it's the best wine he's ever made. After experiencing his humility and genuine passion firsthand, that statement sold me completely.

LEGENDS OF THE RIGHT BANK

With thirty minutes before our next appointment, Michel took us on a drive past several of Bordeaux's most legendary estates - many of which are represented in my cellar. Here are just a few that we saw:

At Château Clinet, the owner's Porsche parked out front provided a striking contrast to Alexandre's humble Subaru we'd seen earlier.

We passed Le Pin, where I spotted the property's namesake pine tree next to their unassuming building. Michel noted that they conduct only a handful of tastings each year, and he himself has yet to taste there.

The iconic Château Petrus proved equally exclusive - Michel explained that tastings there are extremely rare, typically reserved only for wealthy Asian collectors. The Petrus name does not appear any where on the property!

We saw Château L'Evangile where we heard and caught a glimpse of bottling in progress!

We then stopped to admire the historic "Eglise catholique Saint-Jean à Pomerol" church, another reminder of the deep connection between Bordeaux's religious institutions and its great wine estates.

FINISHING STRONG

Our final tasting of the trip brought us to Château Figeac, where we were greeted by our American host (another first!), Alexa Boulton. One of Saint-Émilion's oldest properties, Figeac traces its roots back to the 2nd century AD, and its 42-hectare vineyard stands unique in all of Bordeaux. The estate is planted to an unusual mix: 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot - making it the only château to maintain roughly equal proportions of these three varieties. This distinctive blend stems from their unique terroir - fine, gravel-based soils uncommon in the Right Bank, mixed with quartz, iron, clay, and sand.

The tour began in their striking lobby before moving through the historic home and grounds.

While touring the grounds, our Alexa explained Figeac's unique approach to land management. Beyond their 42 hectares of vines, they maintain an additional 12 hectares of parkland, meadows, rivers, and gardens - creating a diverse ecosystem that benefits the vines. Their commitment extends from preserving 130-year-old hedgerows to protecting local wildlife, including bats that hunt at night and pollinating insects. Dio was particularly impressed with their holistic approach to biodiversity, noting how every element of the landscape seemed purposeful. The family's dedication to maintaining this ecosystem even influenced construction projects - they insisted on preserving historic trees near the château entrance, requiring vehicles to find alternative routes during renovations.

During our walk through the château, Alexa beamed with pride as she discussed Figeac's promotion to Saint-Émilion's highest classification just last year. This elevation to "Class A" status - shared only with Château Pavie (which we'd visited just yesterday) - wasn't simply about one exceptional vintage, but required demonstrating fifteen consecutive years of excellence in everything from wine quality to global reputation. Having now visited both of Saint-Émilion's official "Class A" properties, plus Cheval Blanc (which we’d also visited yesterday and which had previously held this status before withdrawing themselves from the classification system), we were getting a comprehensive view of Right Bank excellence at its highest level.

Unlike most Bordeaux tastings that conclude with the wines, we started in their impressive new tasting room. When I mentioned having the 2009 vintage in my cellar, Alexa disappeared briefly and returned with a surprise - she had specifically selected the 2009 Château Figeac for us to taste so I wouldn't need to open one of my own bottles to experience it in its prime. What thoughtful hospitality!

While we tasted, she explained how this stunning space was part of their new 5,000-square-meter facility. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered sweeping views of the vineyards on one side and their state-of-the-art vat room on the other. She pointed out the distinctive wax seal decorating Figeac's bottles - an emblem first created in 1906 by Robert Villepigue, the great uncle of Thierry Manoncourt, who owned and managed Figeac from 1947 until his passing in 2010.

The 2013 Château Figeac Petit-Figeac demonstrated why I'd been revising my opinion about that challenging Bordeaux vintage throughout our trip, earning 91 points from me. The 2009 Château Figeac proved even more impressive, earning 94 points from me.

After our tasting, we toured the new winemaking facilities, learning that their 2021 vintage was the first produced here. The upper level revealed an impressive array of 40 stainless steel conical vats, complemented by eight French oak vats arranged in a circle - a setup designed for precise, single-parcel vinification. We learned that almost two-thirds of the facility is built underground! We then explored their barrel room before concluding in a cellar filled with an impressive collection of library wines.

While in the cellar, Alexa shared a dramatic recent story. Just last month, the estate faced a critical frost threat that endangered their vulnerable spring buds. The entire team mobilized to protect the vines, working through the nights to maintain fires throughout the vineyard. Our guide had personally joined the effort, and she described how the experience strengthened their team's bond. While the episode could have spelled disaster, their quick response and deep understanding of each plot's specific needs helped them avoid any significant damage.

After experiencing how beautifully the 2009 Figeac showed during our tasting, I arranged with Michel to secure more bottles for my cellar. It was a fitting way to conclude our final Bordeaux tasting - we wouldn't be doing a wine tour again until arriving in Piedmont ten days later for four spectacular visits. But that's a story for another blog post!

ONE LAST HUNT

Our return to ETS Martin proved quite productive. Beyond securing every available bottle of 2015 VCC they had in stock, I couldn't resist picking up several bottles of the 2019 Domaines Ott Côtes de Provence By.Ott rosé we'd enjoyed so much at lunch. Ben from ETS Martin then recommended another rosé from the same producer - 2021 Domaines Ott Côtes de Provence Rosé Château de Selle - which I also added to my collection. I rounded out my purchases with a couple of 2020 Château Angélus Tempo d'Angelus (having enjoyed their wines in Paris) and a 2015 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión from Ribera del Duero to diversify my cellar.

My dear readers, if you haven’t figured this out yet (given this was our third stop at ETS Martin in as many days), I was super impressed with this wine store! Here’s a video of their amazing selection! Do yourself a favor: if you are a wine lover and are any where near, this is a must visit!

After completing our final purchases (and doing some quick Coravin tastings) we then did some more exploring on our last night in Saint-Émilion!

A CHANGE OF PACE

We concluded our Bordeaux adventure at Pizzeria Du Vieux Lavoir, where the name references the historic washing area nearby. After nearly two weeks of heavy multi-course French meals in Paris and Bordeaux, we'd originally planned to visit another French restaurant but found ourselves craving something different. Over a thin-crust margherita pizza paired with a 2010 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura that earned 92 points from me, Italian cuisine and wine provided the perfect change of pace for our final evening.

From our hotel room, we watched the sun set behind Saint-Émilion's beautiful church - a fitting metaphor for the close of our Bordeaux journey.

DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

While I'd arrived in Bordeaux already familiar with the differences between Left and Right Bank wines - and with a predisposition toward Merlot-based wines - this journey deepened my understanding immeasurably. Walking the vineyards, seeing the Gironde's influence firsthand, feeling the weather, examining the soils, and most importantly, meeting the people behind the wines gave me insights that no book or tasting room experience could provide.

These experiences will make future tastings even more meaningful. Thanks to Michel and Victoria at Double P Imports, I was able to secure wines from nearly every property we visited - from Pontet-Canet, Château d'Issan, and VCC to the three Barton properties (Langoa, Léoville, and Mauvesin), from La Fleur de Boüard and Pavie Decesse to Cheval Blanc, Figeac, and Vignobles Arbo. And while I didn't purchase any Mouton Rothschild or Smith Haut Lafitte during our visit, I already had their wines resting in my cellar back home. Now when I open these bottles - many being the exact vintages we tasted at the châteaux - I'll remember walking those specific vineyards, watching the cellar team perform traditional racking, seeing the wines aging peacefully in barrel, and most importantly, the passionate people who craft these wines. Each bottle has become more than just wine; it's now a liquid memory of this extraordinary journey.

The next morning, as Michel and Marla drove us to pick up our rental car, I found myself grateful for how this region had opened itself to us. From the grandeur of First Growths to the warmth of family estates, from historic cellars to cutting-edge facilities, we'd experienced it all. And while VCC's 2015 vintage would stand as the pinnacle of our tasting experiences, it was the people - like Alexandre Thienpont, the Arbo family, and Michel himself - who made this journey truly unforgettable.

For my complete tasting notes from these remarkable days: