Château Certan de May
Château Certan de May is one of a number of Certan estates in Pomerol, alongside Vieux Château Certan, Château Certan-Giraud (better known today as Hosanna) and Château Certan-Marzelle. You would be right in thinking they have a shared origin, the four all having at least some connection (albeit a rather tenuous one, in some cases) with the Certan (or Sertan) estate of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Without a doubt, the best known of this Certan quartet is Vieux Château Certan, the others – Château Certan de May included – are less often encountered, and it is probably only dedicated Pomerol addicts that know, buy and cellar these wines. This is perhaps a situation that warrants some examination though. Today, the wines made by Alexandre Thienpont at Vieux Château Certan are some of the most desirable of the entire appellation, and it makes sense that these Certan satellites, which neighbour the estate and no doubt share some similarities in terms of terroir, perhaps merit more attention than they currently receive. Especially if the wines also offer good value.
This profile examines the story of the first of these Certan properties, Château Certan de May, beginning as always with an examination of the estate’s origins, or at least what we can glean of them.
Please log in to continue reading: