Château Phélan Ségur - Saint-Estèphe 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Owned by the Gardinier brothers (who also run Les Crayères in Reims and Taillevent restaurants in Paris), Phélan was sold in 2018 to a great Bordeaux wine enthusiast, Philippe Van de Vyvere. This cru, which is in some ways Calon-Ségur's first cousin, is one of the most renowned in the area. Wonderfully situated on the banks of the Garonne, it offers a very specific character, marked by notes of cedar and a good suppleness on the mid-palate. 2015 was one of the major successes in the appellation, 2016 and 2018 show a racy tannin worthy of the best crus classés.

Decanter

About the wine:

Fragrant nose of roses, raspberries and vanilla. Smooth and supple, with a nice juicy core. The palate is precise and clear, with good use of oak and extraction. An enjoyable glass of wine, really pleasing with bright red fruit, fine, silky tannins and a long, mineral finish. It becomes a little more serious on the 2nd tasting, the tannic mass amplifying on the palate and gaining in structure. This is a fine example and will age well. It has density and character. 2025 - 2049

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Eighteen months of ageing for this wine, which gives pride of place to Cabernet Sauvignon (75%). The nose, centered on spices and licorice, opens onto a loose, fresh palate, animated by a pleasant suppleness of flesh and fine, already melting tannins. More delicate than powerful, this medium-bodied Saint-Estephe makes the most of a difficult vintage. 207-2032

About the domain :

Situated on the plateau next to the village of Saint-Estèphe, this cru combines an impressive group of neo-classical buildings with a prime terroir: 70 hectares of clay gravel. And renowned owners. In 1810, Bernard Phélan, who already owned Dom. de Garamey, bought land from Joseph-Marie de Ségur, Comte de Cabanac (who was merely homonymous with the Ségurs of Lafite and Calon). Then, for a long time, the Delon family, a reference in the Médoc, Xavier Gardinier from 1985 and finally Philippe Van de Vyvere since 2018.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

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

About the domain :

This beautiful, emblematic Saint-Estèphe estate, with its superb terroir on the banks of the Gironde, has had a new owner since January 2018. Belgian industrialist Philippe Van de Vyvere now has the task of writing the future pages of what is indisputably one of the Médoc's finest non-classified growths. He has all the keys in hand and should continue along the path he has been following for several years now. Phélan Ségur produces a noble wine, not always demonstrative, but distinguished and ageing well.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Very refined, with a hint of mineral and chocolate, fine spices, cassis, and a touch of iron and pencil shavings. The juicy, medium- to full-bodied palate has a symmetry of chalky tannins and concentrated fruit. More refined, layered and long than compact or broad. Finesse and minerality are evident. Drink now or cellar.

Le Point

About the wine:

Favorite Red fruit, floral notes, dense, juicy mouthfeel, full-bodied, brilliant fruitiness, balanced, persistent ageing.

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

The commitment is clear: Phélan is made to last! The primeur bottle is not about immediate seduction; it's all about building a balance between density and aromatic expression. It may seem austere today, but when aired, floral and blackcurrant scents make a breakthrough. Clean, rich and sapid on the palate, with great length. Exceptional tannin quality.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

Even if apparent, the ageing process assumes its role as an aromatic carrier, giving pride of place to complexity! The bouquet reveals nuances of black pepper, red berries and licorice, while graphite nuances emerge with aeration. On the palate, the wine is caressing on the attack, yet powerful and compact. The tannins provide a perfect backbone and width, while the acidity takes care of the energetic side. The tannins are very fine-grained, but still need to be rounded out a little. The wine has time ahead of it, but has the advantage of offering accessibility in its youth. An inviting, pleasant, powerful and charming Phélan Ségur. 2026-2046

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is fruity, floral and slightly tight, offering fine power, intensity and concentration. Notes of pulpy cherry, fleshy redcurrant and, more slightly, pulpy/fresh blackcurrant are combined with fine hints of licorice (almost star anise), racy minerality and a subtle hint of fresh nutmeg. The palate is fruity and fleshy, with a lovely acidic structure, pulpiness, lovely minerality, tension, precision, fine fat, fine crispness (gives dynamism, with acidity) and good work on the (good) bitters. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of small, pulpy/acidulated red berries, crisp raspberry and more lightly lily, iris, combined with small touches of crisp blackcurrant, fine varietal hints, racy minerality, as well as subtle almost colas/zan hints and a very discreet hint of pepper (in the background). The tannins are soft and firm at the same time. Generous freshness and control. A very discreet hint of chocolate/tonka bean in the background/persistence.