There’s a striking sense of deeply ripe plums on the nose, as well as notes of forest wood, black truffle, wet earth and sous bois. The palate has regal tannin shape and texture. Quite powerful but supple, the tannins carry long and fresh with ripe dark-plum flavors.

The 2017 Certan de May is a blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine charges out of the gate with bold expressions of preserved plums, blueberry compote and redcurrant jelly plus nuances of pencil shavings, forest floor and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers elegantly played black fruits and earthy accents with a lovely frame of fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with a quiet intensity.

Quite different in character again, on the broad shouldered side, with a tannic frame and bite. A more serious side to Pomerol, with liquorice running deeply through the mid palate alongside fresh acidities. It has the kind of fruit that is going to blossom into mint notes as it ages - and is already starting to show that character.

One of the greats from the Mouiex stable, as the name suggests, this estate lies very close to famous Vieux Chateau Certan. Dark fruit, coiled, musky and exotic. Supple texture, sweet fruit underpinned by quite firm oak treatment. Quite tight and firm, finishes a little dry. - April 2018

Plump and open, featuring fun raspberry and blood orange flavors, rooibos tea notes and a rounded feel through the finish. Perfumy, with a sandalwood echo. - James Molesworth (WineSpectator.com, April 2017)

The 2017 Certan de May is bold and pungent in its first impression. Racy floral and savory notes from the Cabernet Franc are front and center. Certan de May doesn't quite have the early appeal of many wines in the Moueix stable, and the tannins need time to soften, but there is a sense of energy and tension to the 2017 that is compelling. Tasted two times. - vinous.com, May 2018

The 2017 Chateau Certan De May comes from a 13.5-acre vineyard of deep clay and gravelly soils and is 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby/purple-colored, with lots of Cabernet Franc character in its red, black, and blue fruits as well as notes of sappy flowers and earth, it's medium-bodied, has present tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and a great finish. It's nicely balanced, well-made, and is going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for over a decade.

A final blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Certan de May is scented of bay leaves, crushed blackcurrants and blackberries with black pepper and tilled earth nuances. The medium to full-bodied mouth is firm and chewy with tightly knit fruit and an herb-laced finish. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, erobertparker.com, April 2018

The 2017 Certan de May continues a run of wines that have left me scratching my head because experience of older vintages prove the heights it can achieve. Yet, recent vintages have fallen short of expectations. This feels a little green, especially when compared to the Latour-à-Pomerol and Hosanna on either side of my tasting at J-P Moueix. The palate is thankfully better with fine tannin, a keen line of acidity, tertiary in style with a touch of charcoal and tar towards the finish. If the aromatics had a little more, for want of a better word, “oomph”, then I might be more generous in my evaluation. Hopefully it will meliorate in barrel. Let’s see. - vinous.com, May 2018

Deep smudgy crimson. Gorgeous dusty graphite nose and pure cassis fruit. Smells refined even before you taste it. But then unexpected oak sweetness on the palate, tannins are sufficient but moderate. Dies a little on the finish, so that the oak dominates for now. The palate was a bit disappointing after the promising aromas. - Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, April 2018

Vineyard mix is 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep smudgy crimson. Gorgeous dusty graphite nose and pure cassis fruit. Smells refined even before you taste it. But then unexpected oak sweetness on the palate, tannins are sufficient but moderate. Dies a little on the finish, so that the oak dominates for now. The palate was a bit disappointing after the promising aromas. (JH)