Calon Ségur 2017

The 2017 Calon Segur has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It strolls out with evocative scents of cassis, redcurrants, and kirsch, plus nuances of camphor, crushed rocks, and wild thyme. Medium-bodied, the palate has plenty of savory-laced black and red fruits in the mouth, with chewy tannins and a lifted finish.

Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Sweet spice from oak on the nose adding some generosity to red-cherry fruit. There is an exotic edge that is a little discordant to the aromas for now. Succulent and plush on the palate, this is modern and hedonistic, trying to flesh out the stricter style of the vintage. It is somewhat successful, but the pithy tannins and high acidity just detract from the finish. Perhaps this will settle together in time.
Drink 2025 – 2037

Graphite, wild herbs, bracken, violets and such spicy black and blue berries. The palate has impressive concentration, yet very supple, charming texture. Such impressively articulated tannin detail with very fine, long tannins and deeply integrated oak. This wine is so full of flavor and interest from start to finish. A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Needs three to four year to come around. Try in 2023 and onwards.

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.
Drinking Window 2025 - 2040

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.
Drink 2025-2040

Minty fragrant the nose is fresh the start of the palate has a bramble and bilberry mix. Concentration and depth in the middle the tannins fine the rich fruits fill out the back plate the finish is lighter stylish and long. Drink 2025-2040.

The growing season started early with relatively dry conditions and temperatures which were above average – accordingly the harvest was two weeks early compared with the previous five vintages. Because of the proximity to the Gironde Estuary the vineyards were protected from the frosts at the end of April. In spite of some hot spells, the clay soils regulated
moisture well. Everything was picked between 15th and 29th September. Very deep and sonorous on the nose there is a superb wave of cassis which greets the palate. This is a different take on Calon and it is a style of wine which I have never seen before at this property. It is shaped like the lovely 2008 in terms of refinement and size, but this wine has 15% ten-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend and this is the first time that this fruit has been used in the Grand Vin. It brings acidity and freshness and this lifts the wine and elevates the blackberry fruit beautifully. It will make 20-30 years even though it initially seems to be a more discreet and calm vintage.