Château Calon Ségur, 3ème Cru Classé, St Estèphe, 2005
Another great success from Madame Capbern-Gasqueton, whose unique terroir shines though clearly in this medium-bodied, fruit-driven 2005. A distinctive nose of almonds and nut kernels leads to a palate characterised by velvety tannins and delicious, pure red berry fruit. Open-knit and very approachable even at this early stage, this wine has the potential to fill out into one of the best Calons ever.
critic reviews
The 2005 Calon Ségur, which was matured in 75% new oak, has a powerful and burly nose: quite intense black fruit meet star anise and cough candy scents. This has fine delineation, even if a little rustic compared to the wines nowadays. The palate is smooth on the entry, and the tannins have softened since I last tasted this. With its higher percentage of Merlot driving the flavours, you might well place this on the Right Bank. Touches of black truffle emerge towards the finish and there is decent aftertaste. This just comes across as rather "tough" compared to contemporary Calon Ségur. Tasted at the château.
The classic Gasqueton years, when Calon was for the initiated, and they held on fervently to their insider status. Beautiful ruby red colour, rapsberry puree and cocoa dusting aromatics, still young, a wonderfully embracing tannic frame, rapsberrry, blueberry and loganberry fruits, slate-scraping minerality, just a gorgeous wine that is bursting out of the glass and still has so much more to give. Balanced, mouthwatering, persistent, just at the start of its long and pleasure-filled life, showcasing so much that is wonderful about 2005. Get on board. This is a 2 point higher score than the last time I tasted in April 2021, reflecting that the 2005s are just right now beginning to open up. 50% new oak.
Tasted from an ex-chateau bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London, the 2005 Calon Segur is on par with the wonderful 2000. The only real difference is that this needs more time in bottle. It has a captivating nose: blackberry and boysenberry fruit coming at you at full pelt; dried blood and bacon fat developing as secondary aromas just behind. There is fine delineation here - an underlying mineralite sure to surface with time. The palate is very intense and disarmingly youthful, almost ferrous on the entry with layers of ripe black fruit that segue into an earthy finish (with a curious light tang of Marmite on the aftertaste!). It is a fabulous Calon Segur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see. Tasted March 2015.