Frank Phélan Saint-Estèphe 2016 - Second vin

Owned by the Gardinier brothers (who also run Les Crayères in Reims and the Taillevent restaurants in Paris), Phélan was sold in 2018 to Philippe Van de Vyvere, a great enthusiast of Bordeaux wines. This wine, which is in a sense the first cousin of Calon-Ségur, is one of the most renowned in the region. Beautifully situated on the banks of the Garonne, it offers a very distinctive character, marked by notes of cedar and a smooth, supple mid-palate. The 2015 vintage was one of the appellation’s greatest successes, while the 2016 and 2018 vintages display refined tannins worthy of the finest classified growths.

Located on the plateau next to the village of Saint-Estèphe, this estate combines an impressive complex of neoclassical buildings with a first-rate terroir: 70 hectares of clay-gravel soils. It also boasts renowned owners. Bernard Phélan, who already owned Domaine de Garamey, purchased land in 1810 from Joseph-Marie de Ségur, Count of Cabanac (who was merely a namesake of the Ségurs of Lafite and Calon). Then, for many years, the Delons—a leading name in the Médoc—took over, followed by Xavier Gardinier starting in 1985, and finally Philippe Van de Vyvere since 2018.

This stunning, iconic property in Saint-Estèphe, 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 next chapter in the history of what is unquestionably one of the best unclassified wines of the Médoc. He has everything he needs to succeed and is expected to continue along the path the estate has been following for several years now. Phélan Ségur produces a noble wine—not always flamboyant, but refined and with excellent aging potential.

At first glance, the brick-red color with amber highlights signals the wine’s maturity. On the nose, one discovers aromas of mocha and spices with a hint of licorice. On the palate, it offers a beautiful balance between fruit and a taut structure, leading to a silky, long, and lingering finish.