Calon Ségur - Saint-Estèphe 2016

Vinous

91

byNeal Martinthe6/9/2026

The 2016 Calon Ségur has a slightly savoury bouquet, meat juices infusing the dark berry fruit, hints of cola and rusty piping. The palate is just a little earthy on the entry, open-knit, the tannins a touch more malleable than its peers. Touches of black pepper and piquancy towards the finish; it needs another year in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.

Jamessuckling.com

98

byJames Sucklingthe2/6/2026

Graphite, black currants, walnuts and wet earth on the nose. Great concentration of fruit and a very expressive profile, with vibrancy adding balance. Harmonious tannins that are voluminous but well balanced, combining beautifully with the fruit and structure. Enjoyable now, but will continue to age well. Drink or hold. 10 Years On retrospective.

Vinous

96

byNeal Martinthe8/13/2020

The 2016 Calon-Ségur has a very concentrated, multifaceted bouquet of blackberry, blueberry, cedar and wild mint. I adore this – so involving and so intoxicating! The palate is very well balanced with succulent tannins and a fine bead of acidity, full of tension and poise. Black cherry and blueberry emerge toward the satisfying, complete finish. A gorgeous Saint-Estèphe. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.

Jancis Robinson

18

byJancis Robinsonthe2/5/2020

Yvesbeck.wine

96

byYves Beckthe3/20/2019

Rouge grenat profond aux reflets pourpres. Très belle intensité olfactive avec des notes fruitées et florales. Agréables notes de raisins secs, de baies noires et de bois de réglisse. Finalement je relève également une touche épicée. En bouche je retrouve une intensité aromatique digne de l'expression olfactive. Le corps montre deux facettes avec un côté juteux, friand et un côté crémeux, puissant et compact. Les tannins sont parfaitement intégrés et en symbiose avec la structure qui confère de la race au palais. Notes suaves en fin de bouche pour couronner un cheminement brillant. Quel superbe vin. Bravo à toute l'équipe de Calon Ségur ! 2024-2051 96/100

Jeb DUNNUCK

97

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/1/2019

A monumental wine in the making, the 2016 Château Calon-Ségur is blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that spent a full 20 months in all new French oak. It offers an incredibly powerful, concentrated, classic style in its crème de cassis, graphite, scorched earth, tobacco, and lead pencil aromas and flavors. These give way to an inky, full-bodied 2016 that has perfectly integrated acidity and tannins, subtle background oak, thrilling depth and purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. My money is on it being the greatest wine ever made at this address. Although it shines even today on its purity and balance, it needs 5-7 years of bottle age to hit prime time and will keep for three to four decades.

Wine Spectator

96

byJames Molesworththe2/5/2019

This sports a big, juicy core of delicious dark plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors streaked with violet, bay and tobacco notes that add energy. Loam and charcoal accents add the bass line on the finish, where the fruit really kicks into second gear. A no-brainer for the cellar. Best from 2025 through 2040. 6,667 cases made.  –JM

Jamessuckling.com

98

byJames Sucklingthe2/4/2019

Superb aromas of crushed berries, violets and sandalwood with hints of cedar and roses. Full body, very fine tannins and savory, delicious fruit. Vibrant acidity combines beautifully with the fruit and structure. Harmonious and attractive. Fine-toned. Try after 2024.

Vinous

96

byNeal Martinthe1/24/2019

The 2016 Calon Ségur was matured entirely in new oak for 20 months and bottled at the end of July 2018. This was one of the most impressive wines from the estate when I tasted it from barrel. Now in bottle, it has a gorgeous bouquet of beautifully defined blackberry, bilberry, dark chocolate and graphite aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, perhaps suppler than Cos d’Estournel and more velvety in terms of texture. A dash of cracked black pepper and allspice appears toward the finish, which fans out gloriously. A brilliant wine from François Millet and his team.

Vinous

97

byAntonio Gallonithe1/21/2019

The 2016 Calon Ségur is dense and radiant on the palate, just as it was from barrel. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 is distinguished by its sense of freshness, lift and nuance, much of which comes from the 18% Cabernet Franc in the blend. Sweet flo spice and minty notes add aromatic intensity to a core of sweet red cherry and plum fruit. There is plenty of underlying structure, but the tannins are sweet, silky and perfectly ripe. In short, the 2016 Calon Ségur is a wine of pure and total sensuality. Techni Director Vincent Millet and his team did a tremendous job with the 2016. Tasted three times.

Wine Advocate

96

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe11/30/2018

The 2016 Calon-Ségur is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little closed to begin, slowly revealing warm red and black currants, kirsch and plum preserves with wafts of fragrant earth, violets, chocolate box and wood smoke. Medium to fullbodied elegantly expressed and finely crafted, it has a wonderfully finegrained texture and bold freshness supporting the densely packed black fruits, finishing long and mineral-laced. Drink 2021-2045.

Decanter.com

96

byJane Ansonthe10/30/2018

WeinWisser

19,5

byTjark Witzgallthe5/22/2017

60 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 % Merlot, 18 % Cabernet Franc, 2 % Petit Verdot, 14 vol %, 20 Monate in 100 % franz. Barriques gereift. Sattes Purpur mit violettem Rand. Konzentriertes, blaubeerigesBouquet mit viel Veilchen und Kokosnoten, dahinter Brombeere, Cassis und Schattenmorellen. Am Gaumen erst mit seidiger Textur, packt danach aber sanft zu und präsentiert den muskulösen Körper mit gewaltigem Potenzial. Trotzdem bleibt er immer tänzerisch und endet lang mit feiner Adstringenz und Rasse. Wer Finesse sucht, sollte hier unbedingt zuschlagen! 2025 – 2050

Bettane & Desseauve

98

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/3/2017

Sensationnelle présence en bouche, avec un fruit particulièrement noble et une texture vraiment aristocratique, le premier issu du nouveau cuvier. Il rivalise avec les premiers crus, comme quelques-uns de ses pairs ! 60 % de cabernet-sauvignon, 18 % de cabernet franc, sans doute la proportion la plus élevée du Médoc à ce niveau de classement, ce dont nous nous réjouissons, 20 % de merlot.

Wine Advocate

95-97

byNeal Martinthe5/2/2017

The 2016 Calon Segur is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot cropped at 42 hectoliters per hectare between 29 September and 15 October (finishing with the Cabernets and the Petit Verdot). Notice that Cabernet Franc, which excelled not just here but around Saint Estèphe in this vintage, given that there was not a drop in the 2015. It has a very elegant bouquet, very pure with small macerated black cherries, blueberry, a hint of licorices and juniper berries, all effortlessly detailed and exuding what I term "controlled opulence." The palate is medium-bodied with a sense of symmetry on the entry, the acidity very well judged and the tannins far less rustic than the Calon-Ségurs of old. What I like about this Calon-Ségur is that it could not come from anywhere apart from Saint Estèphe: that structure, that obduracy counterbalanced by the opulence bestowed by the growing season. There is freshness locked in here from start to finish, with a subtle tang of seaweed and black pepper on the long aftertaste. For me this is a serious step up from the 2015, and the structure augurs a Calon-Ségur destined to last as long as those legendary wines from the 1920s and 1940s. Chapeau to winemaker Vincent Millet and estate director Laurent Dufau. This is easily the best Calon-Ségur that I have tasted from barrel.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

19

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/28/2017

Le meilleur jamais fait avec le 1982 ! Couleur noire et pourpre. Nez intense, fin, profond, fruité, subtil et complexe. Grande entrée en bouche ample (ce qui est très rare dans ce cru). Puis le vin se met à fondre sur un toucher noble, avec beaucoup, beaucoup de goût. Juteux après le milieu de bouche et très distingué dans ses appuis tanniques, il s’envole en finale, charnu et noble. C’est du grand vin à l’équilibre merveilleux. Superbe ! Assemblage : 60 % cabernet sauvignon, 18 % cabernet franc, 20 % merlot, 2 % petit verdot - Degré d’alcool : 14° (moyenne plus) – pH : 3,6 (moyenne moins). IPT : 80 (moyenne plus). Rendement : 42   hl/haSélection : 33 % de grand vin.

The Wine Cellar Insider

97-99

byJeff Levethe4/27/2017

Incredibly dense with a beautiful sensation of forbidden fruit in the nose and on the mouth. There is weight, balance, freshness and complexity, imparting perfectly ripe, dark red, pit fruits and minerality is what this beauty does best. The wine was produced from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 0.2% Petit Verdot , reaching 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.75. The harvest took place from September 20 to October 25. 

Vinous

94-97

byAntonio Gallonithe4/26/2017

The 2016 Calon Ségur is dense, powerful and radiant. Even so, it possesses striking aromatic intensity. Much of that no doubt comes from the Cabernet Franc. Sweet red cherry, plum, spice, mint and rose petal build into the silky, textured finish. In 2016, Calon Ségur is all class. There is quite a bit of tannin (more than 2014 and 2015) but the tannins are totally woven into the wine's fabric. The 2016 is not an explosive or obvious Calon, but rather a wine of exquisite beauty and pure class. Don't miss it! As of today, the best Saint-Estèphe wine of the vintage.

matthewjukes.com

18,5

byMatthew Jukesthe4/25/2017

There is stunning balance and even a little exoticism here. This is a rich, full, bold Calon with momentum, freshness and lift. Stunningly forward with cassis fruit leading the way this is a lovely, clean, robust and structured wine which will age perfectly. Winemaker Vincent Millet explained that this vintage stands alone as a marker for the future because the weather conditions resemble nothing from the past. I believe that it is a truly great Calon. 18.5+60 Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 Merlot, 18 Cabernet Franc, 2 Petit Verdot) | 100% new oak – will be matured for 20 months. 14% alc. 80 IPT

Decanter.com

96

byJane Ansonthe4/24/2017

An extremely complete and well balanced vintage for Calon Ségur that shows how, with the right levels of acidity, tannin and depth of fruit, even 100% new oak can melt away. This is one of the signs of a great vintage and we have it here in spades. Great definition on the darkly spiced palate, with powerful cassis, liquorice, mint and violets that are dense yet feathery, with chalky tannins that need time to bed in. I love that the tannins are extremely high (80IPT) but not upfront, helped by a pH of 3.6. Just 35% of production made it into the grand vin because so much replanting was done back in 2006, although this should ramp up as the vines mature - they believe the potential is for 70% grand vin. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050

Jancis Robinson

18,5

byJancis Robinsonthe4/21/2017

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. Rich, deep, glowing purplish crimson. Pungent and really interesting and layered on the nose already. Creamy texture and massive energy. Lots of tannin but all beautifully balanced. This is seriously intriguing rather than just ticking boxes. Glows on the end. Old-vine influence – really gives layers and intrigue. Sweetness of tannin. But the freshness really lifts it.

Wine Enthusiast

95-97

byRoger Vossthe4/19/2017

Barrel Sample. This wine is dense, packed with fruit and firm tannins. It is a great success, with a strong black-currant character of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. There is also a perfumed edge from the Cabernet Franc in the blend. This is a wine with enormous potential.

Wine Spectator

94-97

byJames Molesworththe4/10/2017

This sports a dark fruit core, a mouthwatering iron edge and a long, tobacco-accented finish. The broad and racy feel gives this a distinctive profile. This should put on some weight.—J.M

Jean-Marc QUARIN

19

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/10/2017

Le meilleur jamais fait avec le 1982 !Couleur noire et pourpre. Nez intense, fin, profond, fruité, subtil et complexe. Grande entrée en bouche ample (ce qui est très rare dans ce cru). Puis le vin se met à fondre sur un toucher noble, avec beaucoup, beaucoup de goût. Juteux après le milieu de bouche et très distingué dans ses appuis tanniques, il s'envole en finale, charnu et noble. C'est du grand vin à l'équilibre merveilleux. Superbe !

Jamessuckling.com

98-99

byJames Sucklingthe4/5/2017

Wow. This is the Calon we have been waiting for! Intensity and power. Chewy and polished tannins. Full body, great depth. It goes on for minutes. Shows a classic, historical character that really excites me. The essence of this estate and St.-Estèphe. Best ever?