Phélan Ségur - Saint-Estèphe 2023

Jeb DUNNUCK

95

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/31/2026

A brilliant wine from this team, if not the best yet, the 2023 Château Phélan Ségur sports a deep purple hue as well as a gorgeous perfume of cassis and darker fruits intermixed with violets, spicy wood, graphite, and spice. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 55% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied and has a pure, graceful mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's well worth seeking out and worth every penny. Roughly 20,800 cases produced. Drink 2026-2040.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93

byJeff Levethe3/30/2026

Black cherries, chocolate, licorice and floral aromas with a touch of spices fill the nose. Medium-bodied, but with richness, freshness, balance, and complexity. The wine finishes red fruits, along with refreshing notes of spearmint on the back end. This should be quite nice shortly after release. Drink from 2027-2045.

Vinous

94

byAntonio Gallonithe3/16/2026

The 2023 Phélan Ségur is superb. Dark and expansive on the palate, the 2023 offers up a gorgeous mélange of black-toned fruit, gravel, incense, lavender, dried herbs and mocha. Rich yet light on its feet, the 2023 is pure seduction. Phélan Ségur is one of the great values in wine. Recent vintages have been especially fine. The 2023 is certainly no exception.

Vinous

93

byNeal Martinthe2/1/2026

The 2023 Phélan Ségur is quite backward on the nose at first, less forthcoming than some of its peers. It eventually opens with blackberry, violet and crushed strawberry, still just a little confit-like in character. The palate is medium-bodied, with firm tannins on the entry. Good body and weight, plenty of fruit concentration but tightly wound on the finish. Afford this four or five years in bottle and you will be rewarded.

Jamessuckling.com

96

byJames Sucklingthe1/27/2026

Aromas of blackberries, black currants, ink and lead pencil are impressive, highlighting the quality of the cabernet sauvignon in this vintage. So perfumed. Spearmint undertones. Medium- to full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins that run the length of the wine. Silky and caressing with lovely persistence and depth. A fine St.-Estephe. 58% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot, 1.5% petit verdot and 1.5% cabernet franc. Better than 2022. Best after 2028 but already approachable. Drink or hold.

My Bettane + Desseauve

95

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/15/2024

Le cru s’est surpassé et les efforts des années précédentes ont porté leurs fruits. Le corps, la noblesse aromatique des cabernets et l’exactitude dans l’extraction du tannin peuvent servir de modèle.

Yvesbeck.wine

95-97

byYves Beckthe5/14/2024

Phélan 2023 positioniert sich selbstbewusst und präzise, indem er das Nützliche mit dem Angenehmen verbindet, wäre ich versucht zu sagen. Angenehm, weil das Bouquet sehr harmonisch ist, und nützlich, weil er von Anfang an einen ernsthaften, präzisen Charakter zeigt. Neben feinen Holznuancen offenbart das Bouquet Frucht und Mineralik bzw. Noten von schwarzen Beeren und Graphit, ergänzt durch Minze, Süßholz und Brotkrümel. Der seidige Charakter des Auftakts wird von strukturierenden Tanninen abgelöst, die sich dem Gaumen entlang aufbauen. Sie sind zwar noch etwas straff, aber vor allem fein und bilden ein zuverlässiges Fundament. Die Säure ist prägnant und saftig. Sie sorgt für Temperament und Frische, während eine subtile Bitterkeit den Ausdruck und die Länge des Finales begünstigt. Ein Phélan Ségur, der sich mit Überzeugung unter den großen Weinen der Appellation positioniert!

Jeb DUNNUCK

92-94

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/13/2024

The Grand Vin 2023 Château Phelan Ségur checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. It too is deep ruby purple-hued and offers a brilliant nose of pure cassis, sappy tobacco, flowers, and hints of leather. It's medium to full-bodied, brings good mid-palate concentration, and has integrated tannins and acidity, as well as outstanding length. It's a beautiful, concentrated, elegant 2023 with tons to love. Tasted multiple times, with one sample rating 95, but I'm being conservative with the rating. This has terrific potential.

The Drinks Business

92-94

byColin Haythe5/7/2024

Phélan-Ségur (St-Estèphe; 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; 38% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot; a final yield of 52 hl/ha; 55% new oak; IPT 80; pH 3.83; 13.5% alcohol; tasted at the UGC press tasting at the Cité du Vin and then at the property; a selection of yeasts from the vineyard is cultivated prior to vinification; 60 per cent of the production made the selection for the grand vin). Quite distinctive in its aromatic salinity and minerality. Blueberries. Mulberries. Brambles. A loamy earthiness. A touch of cherry with aeration too (a decanter and/or time would/will reveal more). An intense wild heather and herbal note. Maybe a hint of violet. In In the mouth this is fine and glossily textured. A delicate cassis and menthol freshness is revealed with gentle inhalation and aeration. Nice layering and impressively deep, dark and dense in the mid-palate but with a lovely radiant and luminous quality. A little less joyous in this slightly more austere vintage than it was in 2022, but this is very fine and it is lifted by the gentle sweet spicing. Succulent and juicy with a fine sense of harmony and balance. 

The Wine Cellar Insider

92-94

byJeff Levethe5/6/2024

Flowers, black raspberries, cherries, mint, and Asian spices fill the nose. There is richness, freshness, balance, and complexity. The wine finishes with minerality, red berries, and a touch of minty, chalk on the back end. This should be quite nice shortly after release. Drink from 2027-2047. 92-94 Pts.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

95

byJane Ansonthe5/6/2024

Standout quality, delivering squid ink, cocoa bean, espresso, fresh cut herbs, sculpted and impressively confident, with frame and architecture while remaining succulent, and appealing. Will be ready to drink within four or five years of bottling but go for decades. Harvest began here on September 18, with the Cabernets coming in early October, finishing on the 11th (longest harvest on record, 18 days picking over one month). Native yeasts for fermentation after an extensive programme combining many wild yeasts from their vineyard, under the direction of the team Luc Peyronnet and Stéphane Rougé. An exciting estate right now, Philippe Van de Vyvere owner, Veronique Dausse director. Really one to look out for. If you follow my notes I hate saying this, but truly believe this is the best Phélan Ségur that I have tasted En Primeur. 55% new oak for ageing.

Vinous

92-94

byAntonio Gallonithe4/30/2024

The 2023 Phélan Ségur is a powerful, brooding wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense, licorice, dried herbs, lavender and mocha infuse the 2023 with striking complexity. Persistent saline notes lend energy, dimension and shape. The Cabernet Sauvignon really screams with intensity here. Tasted two times.

Vinous

92-94

byNeal Martinthe4/29/2024

The 2023 Phélan Ségur was picked September 18 to October 11 at 52hL/ha and matured in 55% new oak. This has a very pure bouquet. You can actually tell that there is less SO2 being employed here since it displays that strong crushed strawberry fruit, almost confit-like character, turning more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins. This is very well balanced, though not a Phélan Ségur laden with huge concentration (the analytical alcohol is a more restrained 13.54%). There is just a touch of balsamic that perks up the finish, while graphite notes join the chorus line toward the close. Quite an "involving" wine in the cards, this will be fascinating to revisit once in bottle.

Falstaff

92

byPeter Moserthe4/29/2024

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections. Ripe cherries, plums, light touch of blackberry confit, a hint of roasted aromas and fine oak. Taut, finely-meshed, ripe cherries, vivid tannins, mineral, good persistence, will benefit from further ageing.

Alexandre Ma

95-96

byAlexandre Mathe4/28/2024

Wine Advocate

91-93

byWilliam Kelleythe4/26/2024

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2023 Phélan Ségur offers up aromas of cassis, dark berries, licorice and toasty new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated palate with plenty of powdery structuring tannin and good length on the finish. It's a strong effort.

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

byJames Sucklingthe4/25/2024

The polish and intensity of this wine is beautiful for the vintage, with blackcurrant, lead pencil and light chocolate character. It’s medium- to full-bodied with well-integrated fruit and tannins, and a long finish. Velvet texture. Excellent potential. Fermented from selected yeast from the various parcels. 58% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot, 1.5% petit verdot, and 1.5% cabernet franc. Let’s see which is better in the end, 2022 or 2023.