Calon Segur 2017

St Estephe, Third Growth

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Tasting Notes
The 2017 Calon Ségur is attractive, but it has not come together as well as I had hoped it would. Soft and easygoing, the 2017 is decidedly light and lacking in both depth and complexity. Red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and spice are some of the notes that develop in a soft, easygoing Calon that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Technical Director Vincent Millet and Estate Manager Laurent Dufau have done tremendous work at Calon over the last few years, but there was only so much they could do in 2017. Tasted two times. Score: 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2020-2032 01 March 2020
The 2017 Calon-Ségur was bottled at the beginning of July 2019. This is clearly more intense and complex than the Marquis de Calon with blackberry, bilberry, traces of brine and discrete tobacco aromas. Classic in style with the Cabernet component clearly more expressive than previous vintages (a long-term policy as they reconfigure vineyard planting). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and superb balance. There is a natural and effortless feel to this nascent Calon-Ségur, very focused with a "cool" and slightly reserved finish. Classy and, dare I say, it represents one of the few 2017s that may challenge its 2018 counterpart. Score: 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2045 01 February 2020
The 2017 Calon-Ségur is tentatively blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with pronounced black currants, crushed blackberries and fresh black plums with hints of cigar box, sandalwood and cinnamon stick plus a waft of mossy bark. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, energetic and fresh with layers of black fruit, perfumed incense and fragrant earth notions, lingering nicely with exotic spices coming through on the finish. Score: 92 - 94 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 27 April 2018
Inky core with black-cherry rim. Ripe, dark and with a fine mineral cast to the cassis fruit, which is ripe but not sweet. Paper-fine tannins in many layers. Great ageing potential but also accessible. Deceptively accessible, suggesting lack of ageing ability, but I don't think that is the case. Cool, fresh, serious, fine cassis fruit. The finesse comes from the lack of sweetness but there's no lack of fruit. Dry, firm and very St-Estèphe, with tannin structure. But the structure is filled molecule by molecule with the fruit. It's so finely balanced. There's more firmness than in Cos but there's still excellent harmony. Opens to a hint of violets. Super-moreish and juicy even with the structure of the terroir. (17.5+ Points) Score: 17 - 18 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2025-2040 27 April 2018
The 2017 Calon Ségur is a smoking effort and lends credence to the idea that the northern Médoc (Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe) was the place to be in 2017. Deep purple-colored, it’s packed with notions of ripe blackberries, black cherries, crushed rocks, and Asian spice characteristics that all flow to a medium to full-bodied, rich, concentrated, sexy 2017 that has more fruit, depth, and richness than most. The 2017 is a rough blend at the moment of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, which will spend 20 months in new French oak. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 23 April 2018
This is very delicate on the attack but it grows on the palate with firm and silky tannins that turn lightly chewy. Builds consistently. Compacted and tight. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 05 April 2018
This is very pure and sleek in feel, with an iron note running from start to finish while cassis, cherry and damson plum fruit plays out. The long, focused finish has light bay and savory hints while letting the minerality sing. Score: 91 - 94 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 04 April 2018
This is rich, with fresh blueberry and cassis notes. The fruit is on the elegant side, and this should be earlier to drink than the 2016 and even the 2014. Technical director Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen and the team took an interesting approach to building the mid-palate, increasing the persistency by re-integrating the press wine immediately after vinification, so having both free run and press wine together during maceration. Blending the press wine at such an early stage took a leap of faith, as did using so much of the young, nine-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon in the first blend. But it works - this is precise, balanced and appealing, building slowly over the palate. Yield of 43.5hl/ha, 40% of production into the grand vin. 3.7pH. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2025-2040 01 April 2018

Tasting Notes

The 2017 Calon Ségur is attractive, but it has not come together as well as I had hoped it would. Soft and easygoing, the 2017 is decidedly light and lacking in both depth and complexity. Red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and spice are some of the notes that develop in a soft, easygoing Calon that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Technical Director Vincent Millet and Estate Manager Laurent Dufau have done tremendous work at Calon over the last few years, but there was only so much they could do in 2017. Tasted two times.

Score: 91

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2020-2032 01 March 2020

The 2017 Calon-Ségur was bottled at the beginning of July 2019. This is clearly more intense and complex than the Marquis de Calon with blackberry, bilberry, traces of brine and discrete tobacco aromas. Classic in style with the Cabernet component clearly more expressive than previous vintages (a long-term policy as they reconfigure vineyard planting). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and superb balance. There is a natural and effortless feel to this nascent Calon-Ségur, very focused with a "cool" and slightly reserved finish. Classy and, dare I say, it represents one of the few 2017s that may challenge its 2018 counterpart.

Score: 93

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2045 01 February 2020

The 2017 Calon-Ségur is tentatively blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with pronounced black currants, crushed blackberries and fresh black plums with hints of cigar box, sandalwood and cinnamon stick plus a waft of mossy bark. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, energetic and fresh with layers of black fruit, perfumed incense and fragrant earth notions, lingering nicely with exotic spices coming through on the finish.

Score: 92 - 94

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 27 April 2018

Inky core with black-cherry rim. Ripe, dark and with a fine mineral cast to the cassis fruit, which is ripe but not sweet. Paper-fine tannins in many layers. Great ageing potential but also accessible. Deceptively accessible, suggesting lack of ageing ability, but I don't think that is the case. Cool, fresh, serious, fine cassis fruit. The finesse comes from the lack of sweetness but there's no lack of fruit. Dry, firm and very St-Estèphe, with tannin structure. But the structure is filled molecule by molecule with the fruit. It's so finely balanced. There's more firmness than in Cos but there's still excellent harmony. Opens to a hint of violets. Super-moreish and juicy even with the structure of the terroir. (17.5+ Points)

Score: 17 - 18

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2025-2040 27 April 2018

The 2017 Calon Ségur is a smoking effort and lends credence to the idea that the northern Médoc (Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe) was the place to be in 2017. Deep purple-colored, it’s packed with notions of ripe blackberries, black cherries, crushed rocks, and Asian spice characteristics that all flow to a medium to full-bodied, rich, concentrated, sexy 2017 that has more fruit, depth, and richness than most. The 2017 is a rough blend at the moment of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, which will spend 20 months in new French oak.

Score: 92 - 94

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 23 April 2018

This is very delicate on the attack but it grows on the palate with firm and silky tannins that turn lightly chewy. Builds consistently. Compacted and tight.

Score: 94 - 95

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 05 April 2018

This is very pure and sleek in feel, with an iron note running from start to finish while cassis, cherry and damson plum fruit plays out. The long, focused finish has light bay and savory hints while letting the minerality sing.

Score: 91 - 94

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 04 April 2018

This is rich, with fresh blueberry and cassis notes. The fruit is on the elegant side, and this should be earlier to drink than the 2016 and even the 2014. Technical director Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen and the team took an interesting approach to building the mid-palate, increasing the persistency by re-integrating the press wine immediately after vinification, so having both free run and press wine together during maceration. Blending the press wine at such an early stage took a leap of faith, as did using so much of the young, nine-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon in the first blend. But it works - this is precise, balanced and appealing, building slowly over the palate. Yield of 43.5hl/ha, 40% of production into the grand vin. 3.7pH.

Score: 94

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2025-2040 01 April 2018

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