Château Phélan Ségur - Saint-Estèphe 2025 (Primeurs)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Probably the greatest Phélan-Ségur in decades. Its complexity, vitality, balance, and elegance place it among the finest classified growths of the vintage.

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 a passionate collector of Bordeaux wines, Philippe Van de Vyvere. 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 distinct character, marked by notes of cedar and a smooth mid-palate. 2015 was one of the appellation’s standout vintages, while 2016 and 2018 display refined tannins worthy of the finest classified growths.

Decanter

About the wine:

An incredible color in the glass: a vivid purple core rimmed with a brilliant pink glow. An inviting nose: creamy notes of strawberry, freshly cut herbs, and pink roses. Smooth and supple, with excellent structure and round, full-bodied tannins that offer a magnificent, fleshy texture. Tempting yet slightly sweet strawberry aromas make it so fruity and charming. Smooth, sophisticated, refined, yet truly inviting. Powdery tannins with ripe fruit. This is a very confident winemaking, with precision and concentration. Refined. Delicious—you’ll want more. Not overly flashy, despite its texture, it retains a fresh quality with a mineral finish. Delightful. A complete package. One of the best I’ve tasted from this estate. Yield of 29 hl/ha. pH of 3.73. 80 IPT. 65% grand cru production. This is the first time the estate has harvested more than 10 hectares in a single day; the harvest took place over eight days, from September 10 to 26. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 2030–2045

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 hectares of clay-gravel soil. It has also had a succession of 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 a long time, the Delons, a leading name in the Médoc, 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 estate in Saint-Estèphe, with its superb terroir on the banks of the Gironde, has had a new owner since January 2018. It is now up to Belgian industrialist Philippe Van de Vyvere to write the next chapter in the history of what is indisputably one of the best unclassified wines of the Médoc. He has everything he needs to succeed and is expected to continue along the path he has been following for several years now. Phélan Ségur produces a noble wine, not always showy, but distinguished and with excellent aging potential.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Well-composed, structured, and well-balanced, with a medium- to full-bodied profile and fine, firm tannins. Textured and slightly chalky on the palate. Solid and precise, with a long, intense finish. An elegant, refined, and harmonious wine. It displays depth, structure, and finesse. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

The depth and attention to detail evident in Phélan Ségur’s bouquet speak volumes about its ambitions and potential. Everything is perfectly balanced; nothing is left to chance, and nothing is overdone. Inviting notes of black berries and cedar, complemented by hints of praline and mint, as well as chocolate and chalky undertones. It is indeed these most subtle nuances that abound, giving the bouquet a depth rarely achieved. Smooth and elegant on the attack, the wine gradually gains breadth and depth across the palate. Its tannins initially hold back, observing the situation before revealing themselves and becoming the driving force behind the wine’s evolution. Their serenity and precision speak in their favor, even if one wouldn’t object to more vigor; yet this vigor arrives late, and it is precisely here that this wine could surprise many. This power is not limited to the tannins; the acid structure also contributes to it, as it blends with the other elements present. A fully realized Phélan Ségur that embodies the dedicated and passionate commitment of a team that loves it, very sincerely. It repays them well, and it is only fitting. 2030–2055