Within the hallowed soils of Pomerol, La Croix de Certan speaks as the graceful second voice of one of the appellation’s most revered names — Vieux Château Certan. Produced by the Thienpont family, whose stewardship of Bordeaux’s finest terroirs is marked by precision and quiet excellence, La Croix de Certan is not merely a second wine, but a poised expression of the estate’s spirit in a more accessible register.

The vineyard, situated on the Pomerol plateau, is a mosaic of deep clay and gravel over an iron-rich subsoil — terroir that fosters both the density of Merlot and the finesse of Cabernet Franc. These vines, younger than those devoted to the grand vin but still meticulously cultivated, yield fruit that reflects the estate’s singular energy and depth.

Winemaking follows the same philosophy as Vieux Château Certan: hand harvesting, rigorous selection, and plot-by-plot vinification. The wines are aged in French oak, often with a lower proportion of new barrels, allowing the purity and suppleness of the fruit to take center stage. The result is a cuvée that shares the estate’s DNA but offers earlier approachability and a more immediate charm.

La Croix de Certan is classically Pomerol — plush and perfumed, yet always refined. It opens with aromas of black cherry, rose petal, and subtle truffle, unfolding into notes of cocoa, plum, and wet stone. The palate is velvet-lined but structured, balancing richness with freshness, fruit with earth. It is a wine that evolves gracefully, rewarding both early drinking and short to mid-term cellaring.

What sets La Croix de Certan apart is not just pedigree, but restraint — a wine shaped by terroir and intellect, offering a harmonious view of one of Bordeaux’s most storied estates without the austerity of youth.

La Croix de Certan is not a shadow but an echo — resonant, elegant, and unmistakably Pomerol.