Marquis de Calon Ségur, St Estèphe, 2022
After the magnificent Capbern, this feels a little lit looser knit and less harmonious, the additional Merlot lends a charming florality, and a smoother, rounder texture. Some alluring glossy fruit – the oak is more present. It is definitely a big step up for Marquis, but for our tastes it has to be Capbern every time.
critic reviews
The 2022 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a little more reductive on the nose, though there is plenty of fruit here and it is well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a peppery opening. Fine tannins exert modest grip, tobacco notes appearing towards the finish with decent substance. Somehow, this feels predictable but not in a negative connotation of that word. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.
The second wine of Calon-Ségur, this is 58% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and the élevage was in 30% new oak for 17 months. The fruit on the nose feels dark and lightly roasted, with red cherry and baked strawberry, touched with a little black pepper. I find there is a welcoming charm to the palate though, which presents a rather forward phalanx of juicy blackberry, red cherry and liquorice fruits, laced with black pepper and toast. The palate presents much the same, laced with tobacco and cigar box, with a rich wrapping of robust but nicely knit-together tannins. This is an impressive second wine for the vintage, sinewy but confident, with very dark fruits and piles of tannic grip. The alcohol on the label is 15%, which is remarkable as although it fits with the style, there is no suggestion of heat or spirit on nose or palate.
Violet reflections, dense fully ripe berries, tannins just the right side of constricting, with black berry, spiced plums, fresh almonds and smoked earth. 26hl/h yields. No pumping over here, and since 2021 they have been making greater use of fractions of press wine during blending. Hail impact brought yields down. 30% new oak
One of several over-performing second wines in this vintage is the 2022 Le Marquis de Calon-Segur, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless Saint-Estephe redolent of minty berries, licorice and rose petals. Lively and penetrating, it punches above its weight.