Frank Phélan Saint-Estèphe 2016 - Second vin

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

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 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.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

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 ha 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.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

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

About the estate:

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 shaping the future of what is indisputably one of the best unclassified wines in 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 showy, but refined and with excellent aging potential.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

At first glance, the brick-red color with amber highlights signals the wine’s maturity. On the nose, one detects 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.