Château Calon Ségur 2019

Dark, intense and purple color. Very aromatic, fruity, ripe, subtle and complex nose. Meticulous in the entry, suave in the middle and particularly aromatic, the wine caresses the palate with a refined texture, with great taste in the persistence. Very nice textured and subtle length, without any tannic angle.

Calon Ségur 2019 was aged for 20 months in 100% new barrels. The bouquet is imposing with its fruity intensity and subtlety. Of course the breeding does not go unnoticed, but it is not dominant or annoying. Inviting character thanks to nuances of blackcurrant and blueberries followed by a touch of violet. Lots of freshness and fruit. On the palate the wine imposes itself with serenity, power and precision. Its tannins are smooth, creamy and give fullness to the entire palate, without being dominant. This Calon Ségur tickles the Grail, it reaches exceptional dimensions which underline the great aptitude of the property to produce very high level wines. 2026-2060.

Sweet cherries and berries with some walnuts and dried flowers, as well as notes of crushed stone, pine, currants and violets. Full-bodied and building gradually on the palate, with intense, polished tannins that are layered throughout the wine, providing well-toned muscle. The finish lasts for minutes. Quintessential Calon. Needs time to soften. Try after 2027.

Vincent Millet (who can boast a doctorate in wine microbiology and who took up his post as Calon's technical director after a stint at Château Margaux) is doing everything right in terms of restructuring the estate's somewhat neglected vineyards with massal selections, higher density plantings, cover crops and precision viticulture. He's also cleaned up and modernized the winery. The 2019 Calon-Ségur shows the impact of some of those changes already, offering up a rich bouquet of crème de cassis, licorice, warm spices and subtle hints of cigar box, followed by a full-bodied, broad and fleshy palate that's deep and concentrated, with lively acids and beautifully refined tannins. All this is very impressive, but the fly in the ointment is an alcohol level that flirts with 15% and makes itself felt on the warm, liqueured finish. Balance isn't a matter of mere numbers, of course, but despite its admirable qualities and the serious work behind it, I do have reservations about this wine's ultimate equilibrium. Time will tell. The good news is that Millet is actively exploring viticultural strategies to mitigate high alcohol levels. Drink date 2025 - 2055. William Kelley