Château Calon Ségur St-Estèphe 2020 - 3ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

The restoration of the château, completed this spring, admirably complements that of the vat room and the updating of the vineyard, restoring the property to its long-awaited status as the commune's seigneurial cru, majestically enclosed within its walls. A formidably competent team has given this exceptional terroir every opportunity to produce wines on a par with a premier grand cru classé. The estate belonged to the Capbern-Gasqueton family for over a century, and since 2012 has been owned by the Suravenir insurance company. Even more so than the second wine, marquis-de-calon, the Capbern cru produced on vines outside the walls of the clos produces a Saint-Estephe with exceptional value for money.

Decanter

About the wine:

The nose is very deep and fragrant; the 1% Petit Verdot is quite powerful and intense with ripe fruit aromas. The palate, however, is very soft and silky, so juicy and charming, with great balance. Great energy and freshness emanate from this lively, well-defined wine - succulent, yet intense and linear in structure. The weight comes from plump, ripe fruit - blackcurrant, black cherry and plum - counterbalanced by a refreshing, wet-stone, pencil lead minerality. The richness is undeniable, the concentration is there, but there's also a prestidigitation on the finish, so well executed and so long. Truly impressive. 2029-2048

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

A noble house named after the medieval parish of Saint-Estèphe (Calones), this cru is one of the oldest in the region. Between 1659 and 1681, it passed into the hands of the Ségurs, who developed this vineyard to which they were very attached: "I make wine in Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon", said Nicolas-Alexandre. Backing onto the village of Saint-Estèphe, the walled vineyard covers 55 ha, the same area as when it was classified in 1855, planted on a thick layer of gravel resting on clay. Owned by the Gasqueton family from 1894 to 2012, Calon is now owned by Suravenir, a subsidiary of the Crédit Mutuel group, which has embarked on an extensive renovation program, including the construction of a new vat room.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2020 vintage is truly a top-flight Calon, with absolute distinction, full-bodied, fleshy, but above all brilliant and persistent, with a very long, defined finish. All in all, it's hard to resist.

About the domain :

Acquired in 2012 after the death of Denise Gasqueton, by the Suravenir insurance group, Calon-Ségur is now aiming very high, and is equipping itself with all the resources it needs to achieve this. The estate, with its exceptional terroir, has already demonstrated its ability to produce wines that rank among the greatest Medocs. Very tight, firm and long in the making, they possess, at their best, an extraordinary density and elegance, which we're beginning to see in recent vintages. Vincent Millet, from Château Margaux, has been Technical Director since 2006. His mission: to lead the cru towards greater quality, by adopting a blending approach that is much more marked by Cabernet Sauvignon. Given the success of recent vintages, Calon-Ségur has established itself as one of the Médoc's most interesting brands. As a result, demand continues to grow.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

This wine has a touch of spice to accompany its powerful blackcurrant aromas. It is concentrated and the 78% Cabernet Sauvignon gives it great structure and power. The ageing potential is immense. Drink from 2028.

James Suckling

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

A quivering nose of iris and violet, which flatters the nostrils with a beautiful impertinence. On the palate, a dark, enveloping presence, yet with plenty of minerality and elegant saline notes. The Calon Ségur signature is perfectly recognizable here, resolutely chiseled, with the virginal nobility of a marble statue. 2028-2053

Yves Beck

About the wine:

If you think back to the start of the school year after the summer vacations, you automatically think of talking to your classmates. We talk about the vacations, each of us recounting with enthusiasm and excitement everything we've experienced. And then there's this young man who comes in, very serenely, smiling, takes his seat and launches into the heart of the matter. His name is Calon Ségur. He's got a lot to talk about, and so much that he prefers to start by sitting down, which I also recommend you do when you taste it! This wine positions itself with precision and a rare serenity. Its bouquet is subtle and complex, with nuances of tea leaves, licorice and blueberries. Its perfectly integrated tannins underline its exceptional ageing potential. It's a marathoner, a muscular, enduring athlete, with obvious density and depth, but above all precision and a very linear character. You just have to give him time to express himself. He gets up, goes to the blackboard and starts writing an equation. If I've calculated correctly, the solution is to a few decimal places of 100. He'll get there. In the meantime, he returns to his seat... in the cellar! 2028-2050

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Powerful, rich, deep, long and layered with black and red fruits, Asian spices, boysenberry, cassis, cedar, licorice, cocoa, tobacco leaf, lead pencil and a refreshing hint of mint on the nose. The wine offers intensity, depth of flavor, power, ripe tannins, liveliness, blackberry and a persistent finish of redcurrant with hints of spice, chocolate and crème de cassis on the finish. Give it a few years in the cellar and then enjoy it for another 30 or so years. Drink between 2026 and 2055.