Château Calon Ségur, 3ème Cru Classé, St Estèphe, 2016
Laurent Dufau, Vincent Millet and Eric Boissenot produce one of the most sought after wines in the Medoc. It is always stylish, well priced, and there simply isn't enough to go round. Denise Gasqueton's decision to separate Capbern vineyard in 2006, coupled with the low density planting means that there is a serious supply issue... Laurent explained that their clos sits on a large ridge of clay that helped the vines during the drought. They recorded their highest ever IPT in 2016, close to 80. The wine certainly possesses good colours and there is no shortage of extract; this is a deeply concentrated and grown up Calon that oozes class and refinement. The final blend is made up of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc (the highest percentage ever used in the grand vin), 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. The bouquet is distinctly Cabernet with notes of cassis, violets and gravelly minerality. This is beautifully constructed, powerful but not heavy, precise, chalky, deeply mineral and fine boned; the tannins are quite profound and are laced with pure cassis and starry crimson fruit. An intense, finesse driven Calon with wonderful energy and mouth-watering acidity. Splendid!
critic reviews
The 2016 Calon Ségur has a slightly savoury bouquet, meat juices infusing the dark berry fruit, hints of cola and rusty piping. The palate is just a little earthy on the entry, open-knit, the tannins a touch more malleable than its peers. Touches of black pepper and piquancy towards the finish; it needs another year in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.
Restrained flesh, a vertical-rise through the palate, fairly old school Calon in feel, beautifully fragrant floral aromatics, plenty of brambled deep fruits, liquorice, crayon, leather, this is lovely wine, appellation character but feels very much lush, classy, impressive. Give it a long carafe, 100% new oak for ageing.