Calon Ségur - Saint-Estèphe 2020

Vinous

94-94

par Neal Martin le 28/02/2025

The 2020 Calon Ségur has a perfumed, floral bouquet with violet-tinged black and blue fruit aromas and just a patina of new oak to be fully assimilated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. There's quite a strong sea influence here, with a tang of Japanese seaweed and cracked black pepper on the muscular finish. Like others in this flight, it will need time, but it is a lovely Saint-Estèphe. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Alexandre Ma

98

par Alexandre Ma le 18/04/2023

Wine Advocate

97

par William Kelley le 06/04/2023

The 2020 Calon-Ségur is a brilliant wine from an estate in the ascendant. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, red berries, fresh mint, pencil shavings, violets and rose petals, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a vibrant core of fruit, powdery structuring tannins and a long, perfumed finish. Integrated and harmonious, this pure, concentrated and dynamic wine is one of the finest vintages that Vincent Millet and his team have produced to date.

Wine Spectator

95

par James Molesworth le 31/03/2023

This is among the more backward wines of the vintage, showing a slightly burly mix of chestnut, warm paving stone, bay leaf and burnished leather notes amid a densely packed core of black currant and bitter plum reduction. Really riveted, with a warm cast iron spine and a mouthwatering savory edge driving the finish. Lovely character in this wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2040.

Jeb DUNNUCK

99

par Jeb Dunnuck le 30/03/2023

The 2020 Château Calon Ségur is pure gold and another masterpiece from this estate. Harvested all in September and pulled from their 48 hectares of vines, the blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 20 months all in new French oak, and it hit 13.2% natural alcohol. My notes started and ended with "wow," and this riveting Saint-Estèphe offers a heavenly bouquet of red and black currants, truffly earth, iron, espresso, and tobacco leaf. With incredible purity of fruit, full-bodied richness, and ultra-fine tannins, it's a deep, pure, layered 2020 that deserves at least 7-8 years of bottle age and will cruise for 40-50 years in cold cellars. Hats off to the team at Calon Ségur.

The Wine Cellar Insider

98

par Jeff Leve le 22/03/2023

Powerful, rich, deep, long, and packed with layers of dark, red, and black fruits, Asian spice, boysenberry, black currants, cedar, licorice, cocoa, tobacco leaf, lead pencil, and a refreshing hint of mint in the nose. The wine offers intensity, depth of flavor, power, ripe tannins, vibrance, blackberry, and a currant lingering finish with nuances of spice, chocolate, and creme de cassis on the back end. Give it a few years in the cellar, and enjoy it for up to 3 decades after that. Drink from 2026-2055.

Alexandre Ma

98

par Alexandre Ma le 15/03/2023

Vinous

96

par Antonio Galloni le 24/02/2023

The 2020 Calon Ségur is a powerhouse. A blast of dark cherry fruit, menthol, tar, licorice and gravel infuse the 2020 with remarkable depth. Sumptuous and full-bodied, the 2020 shows all the richness and textural depth of the year. The tannins are imposing, but there's a good deal of fruit too. This is an especially opulent Grand Vin, in line with vintages like 2018 stylistically, but with 1% less alcohol. Tasted two times.

Vinous

94

par Neal Martin le 15/02/2023

The 2020 Calon-Ségur is allowed to open for over 90 minutes, unfurling in the glass with blackberry and bilberry scents, cedar and floral scents (almost identical to how it showed in barrel.) It just oozes pedigree. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins and quite plush red fruit. It is very well balanced without the backbone and depth of say, Montrose or Cos d'Estournel. It has gained a bit of heft on the finish during its élevage. However, it fans out in assured fashion. This should drink beautifully for 25 to 30 years.

Jamessuckling.com

96

par James Suckling le 16/01/2023

Blueberries, blackberries, spearmint, currants and sweet spices on the nose. Mocha and walnuts, too. Lots of flavor here, with a medium to full body and muscular yet velvety tannins that melt seamlessly into the wine. Long, polished and delicious already. Keeps going. Better from 2025.

Wine Spectator

95

par James Molesworth le 30/11/2022

This is among the more backward wines of the vintage, showing a slightly burly mix of chestnut, warm paving stone, bay leaf and burnished leather notes amid a densely packed core of black currant and bitter plum reduction. Really riveted, with a warm cast iron spine and a mouthwatering savory edge driving the finish. Lovely character in this wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2040.

Vinous

91-93

par Antonio Galloni le 25/06/2021

The 2020 Calon Ségur is a dark, brooding wine that is going to need a number of years to become approachable. Black fruit, gravel, smoke, chocolate, leather and licorice give the 2020 its distinctly virile feel. In two separate tastings, the 2020 has come across as quite potent and forbidding. This sample is more convincing than a sample I tasted this past spring, but I still don’t see Calon-Segur as having reached the level that has become customary over the last few vintages.

Vinous

88-90

par Antonio Galloni le 01/06/2021

The 2020 Calon Ségur is deep, dark and massively concentrated. Huge, brawny tannins give the Grand Vin a brooding, rustic feel. Quite frankly, it is hard to see the 2020 being in balance. There is too much of everything - too much ripeness, too much tannin and too much heaviness. Perhaps this sample was not perfect. We will see.

Jeb DUNNUCK

95-97

par Jeb Dunnuck le 28/05/2021

The flagship 2020 Château Calon Ségur is also brilliant and certainly brings up the intensity, depth, and richness, although it’s nowhere near the exotic, almost over-the-top style of the 2018. Gorgeous crème de cassis, tobacco, roasted coffee beans, lead pencil, and sappy herbs all define this beauty, which is full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and has incredible purity of fruit. It might have some up-front appeal as well, yet smart money will hide bottles for at least 7-8 years.

Tastingbook.com

96

par Markus Del Monego le 28/05/2021

Dark purple colour with violet hue and black core. Complex character with wonderful nose reminiscent of ripe blackcurrants, violets, elderberries, and hints of sloe. Elegant flowery character in the  background, mild spices, vanilla, cocoa complement the nose. On rich and multi-layered with great freshness, finesse and depth. A great Calon Ségur with very promising potential.   

Vinous

92-94

par Neal Martin le 27/05/2021

The 2020 Calon Ségur was picked from 24-30 September at 33hl/ha and after a 3-day cold soak at 10°C it underwent a 18-21 cuvaison. Matured entirely in new oak, it is backward on the nose, well defined, but broody and requires coaxing from the glass. It eventually reveals blackberry, cedar, wild mint and pressed iris petal aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, a little angular on the entry, good acidity. The second half, though, feels just a little brutish at the moment, granular and grippy on the saline, briny finish. I appreciate the way in which the DNA of this estate comes through, though the 2019 showed far more finesse and panache. It may end up at the top of my banded score if it can pull together more clarity and complexity.

Decanter.com

98

par Jane Anson le 25/05/2021

A return to form in my eyes for Calon Ségur after the atypical 2018, rippling with elegance, balance and savoury blue fruits of Cabernet, with rose and peony flowers. Concentrated, chiselled and juicy, this has clear personality and equals the great, classically balanced vintages of Calon like 2016. A yield of 33hl/ha, 3.85pH, 100% new oak. Vincent Millet is now overall director as well as technical director, since the departure of Laurent Dufau in 2020.

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98

par Jeff Leve le 21/05/2021

If you are not familiar with everything going on with Calon Segur these days, you need to taste this wine. Deeply colored, without hesitation the wine shoots from the glass with Asian spice, boysenberry, black currants, cedar, cigar box, tobacco leaf, lead pencil and forest leaf. Full-bodied, concentrated, powerful and rich, yet it is also balanced, refined, and intense. There is purity in the fruits, freshness and symmetry, ending with seamless waves of perfectly ripe, creme de cassis. Let this rest for at least a decade and enjoy for 3 or more decades after that. The wine blends 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. 13.8% ABV. 96-98

Wine Advocate

95-97

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 20/05/2021

The 2020 Calon-Ségur is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It is aging in 100% new French oak barrels for an anticipated 18 to 20 months. The alcohol is 13.8%. Displaying a deep purple-black color, it straight away springs up with bright scents of freshly picked black raspberries, kirsch and blackberries, needing considerable swirling to reveal a vast array of nuances—rose oil, cardamom, iron ore, graphite, lavender and aniseed. The medium-bodied palate has a solid structure of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the tightly wound red and black fruit layers, accented by lots of mineral and floral sparks, finishing with impressive length and depth. Beautiful, beautiful wine!

Jamessuckling.com

95-96

par James Suckling le 12/05/2021

Tobacco and tea aromas with currants and wet earth. Full-bodied and chewy with blackcurrant flavor. Tannins build on the finish with lots of structure and intensity. Quite muscular.

Anthocyanes

97-99

par Yohan Castaing le 11/05/2021

Mure, myrtille, légère touche épicée, notes de réglisse, fumé, très grande complexité. Racé et noble. En bouche, les cabernets sont cristallins, frais, très précis avec une structure tannique à la fois profonde et sur l'allonge. Très beau boisé. A la fois gourmand et frais. Aérien en finale. Voici un très grand Calon Ségur dans un style affirmé, très proche de son terroir, aérien et très élégant. Une très grande bouteille avec un gout spécifique d'iode et de fraicheur mentholée. Un très beau rapport qualité-prix.

Bernard Burtschy

96-97

par Bernard Burtschy le 10/05/2021

Falstaff

94-96

par Peter Moser le 10/05/2021

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Ein- ladende dunkle Beerenfrucht, reife Pflaumen, etwas Nougat, feine Edelholzwürze unterlegt, kandierte Orangenzesten. Saftig, elegant, feine reife Kirschenfrucht, reife Tannine, zarte Süße im Abgang, bereits harmonisch, verfügt über einige Länge und angenehme Frische, sicheres Reifepotenzial.

My Bettane + Desseauve

96-97

par Bettane & Desseauve le 07/05/2021