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

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The restoration of the château, completed this spring, perfectly complements that of the winery and the modernization of the vineyard, restoring the property to its expected status as the town's stately estate, majestically enclosed within its walls. A highly skilled team is making the most of this exceptional terroir, now producing 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 it has been owned by the insurance company Suravenir. Even more so than the second wine, Marquis de Calon, the Capbern estate, produced from vines outside the walls of the clos, offers a Saint-Estèphe with exceptional value for money.

Decanter

About wine:

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

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

A noble house bearing the name of the parish of Saint-Estèphe in the Middle Ages (Calones), this cru is one of the oldest in the region. Between 1659 and 1681, it passed into the hands of the Ségur family, who developed this vineyard to which they were very attached: "I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon," said Nicolas-Alexandre. Backing onto the village of Saint-Estèphe, the vineyard, in a single block, entirely enclosed by a wall, covers 55 hectares, the same area as in the 1855 classification, planted on a thick layer of gravel resting on clay. Owned by the Gasqueton family from 1894 to 2012, Calon now belongs to Suravenir, a subsidiary of the Crédit Mutuel group, which has embarked on a major 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 wine:

The 2020 vintage is truly a Calon of the highest caliber, with absolute distinction, full-bodied and fleshy, but above all vibrant and persistent, with a very long and defined finish. It has it all... difficult to resist.

About the estate:

Acquired in 2012 after the death of Denise Gasqueton by the Suravenir insurance group, Calon-Ségur now has its sights set high and is investing heavily in achieving its goals. The estate, blessed with exceptional terroir, has proven in the past that it is capable of producing wines that rank among the greatest Médocs. Very tight, firm and slow to develop, at their best they possess an extraordinary density and elegance, which is beginning to be found in the latest vintages. Vincent Millet, who came from Château Margaux, has been the technical director since 2006. His mission is to improve the quality of the wine by adopting a blending approach that is much more Cabernet Sauvignon-oriented. Given the highly successful recent vintages, Calon-Ségur is now establishing itself as one of the most interesting brands in the Médoc. As a result, demand continues to grow.

Wine Enthusiast

About wine:

This wine has a hint of spice to accompany its powerful blackcurrant aromas. It is concentrated, and the 78% Cabernet Sauvignon gives it plenty of structure and power. It has immense aging potential. Drink from 2028 onwards.

James Suckling

Le Figaro vins

About wine:

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

Yves Beck

About wine:

When we think back to the start of the school year after the summer holidays, we automatically think of conversations with classmates. We talk about our vacations, each of us enthusiastically recounting everything we did. And then there's this young man who comes in, very calmly, smiling, sits down in his seat, and gets straight to the point. His name is Calon Ségur. He has so much to say that he prefers to sit down first, which I recommend you do too when you taste him! This wine is precisely positioned and has a rare serenity. His bouquet is subtle and complex, with nuances of tea leaves, licorice, and blueberries. Its relevant and perfectly integrated tannins highlight its exceptional aging potential. It is a marathon runner, a muscular, enduring athlete with obvious density and depth, but above all precision and a very linear character. It just needs time to express itself. It gets up, walks over to the blackboard and starts writing an equation. If I've calculated correctly, the solution is a few decimal places away from 100. It will get there. In the meantime, it goes back to sit down... in the cellar! 2028-2050

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About wine:

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