Consistently one of our top picks on the Right Bank the Thienpont family of Vieux Château Certan are blessed with some of the oldest plantings of cabernet franc and merlot in Bordeaux that puts them in very good stead in challenging years. The feather in the cap this year is their cabernet sauvignon, however, with 5% lending a darker fruit profile and structure. Very aromatic with violets and fresh strawberry, with a peppercorn spice from the cabernet franc and silky tannins round off a truly excellent VCC, with 65% merlot and 30% cabernet sauvignon at its heart.