Château Calon Ségur - Saint-Estèphe 2005

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 28/10/2016

Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London, the 2005 Calon Segur is on par with the wonderful 2000. The only real difference is that this needs more time in bottle. It has a captivating nose: blackberry and boysenberry fruit coming at you at full pelt; dried blood and bacon fat developing as secondary aromas just behind. There is fine delineation here - an underlying mineralité sure to surface with time. The palate is very intense and disarmingly youthful, almost ferrous on the entry with layers of ripe black fruit that segue into an earthy finish (with a curious light tang of Marmite on the aftertaste!). It is a fabulous Calon Ségur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see. Tasted March 2015.

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

par Robert Parker le 30/06/2015

The 2005 is a beautiful Calon Ségur, with sweet mocha, black cherry, leathery fruit, medium to full body, attractive purity, a gorgeous texture, and serious nobility, gravitas and density. Drink it over the next 20-30 years, yet it is surprisingly accessible.

Jancis Robinson

17,5 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 09/02/2015

Light, correct nose. Dry finish. Utterly correct old-fashioned St-Estèphe. This has great charm for me as a completely unreconstructed classic red bordeaux. Thick and stuffed full of vineyard.

13% Drink 2024-2045

La Revue du Vin de France

17 / 20

le 20/10/2014

A peine évolué, ce vin est doté d'une grande structure et d'une bouche dense. Mais ce rouge semble encore fermé et replié sur ses tannins. Il faudra lui laisser du temps et espérer que l'ensemble s'harmonisera.

La Revue du Vin de France

16 / 20

le 30/09/2008

Nez fondu, délicatement fruité, épicé, poivré et floral ; bouche puissante, avec une grande concentration, du fruit et une trame tannique conséquente qui devra s'assouplir.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

92 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 30/06/2008

Deep, bright ruby-red. Deeply pitched aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, leather, smoked meat, earth and menthol. Chewy, brooding and deep, with concentrated black cherry, menthol, mineral and leather flavors framed by a powerful spine of acids and tannins. Really saturates the palate on the tannic back end. I'd give this classic St. Estephe a decade of aging, at which time this wine may well merit an even higher score. 92(+?)

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

par Robert Parker le 07/05/2008

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, the totally closed 2005 Calon Segur is one of those traditionally made, backstrapping, uncompromising Bordeaux that will last 30-40 or more years. Its dense ruby color with purple nuances is followed by a nose that reluctantly offers up scents of damp earth, wood smoke, black cherries, cassis, and an exotic Asian spice character. The wine is formidably endowed and broodingly tannic, with noticeable acidity and a structured, nearly impenetrable mouthfeel. Nevertheless, it is easy to sense the weight, extract, and richness in this pure, deep wine. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

par James Suckling le 22/02/2008

Has a beautiful nose of crushed berry, spices and nutmeg, with a hint of coffee. Then turns to licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long finish of vanilla, berry and cinnamon. Beautifully crafted. Best after 2014. 17,500 cases made.

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

par Robert Parker le 03/05/2007

This great St.-Estephe estate has turned out a succession of brilliant wines. The 2005, a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, has put on weight over the last year. An opaque ruby/purple hue is accompanied by a sweet nose of earth, smoke, cassis, and cherries as well as a textured, full-bodied mouthfeel. While the tannin is high, there is beautifully sweet fruit underlying the wine’s structure. It will require 8-10 years of cellaring after release, and should drink well for three decades.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90-93 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 30/06/2006

(60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot) Bright ruby. Precise aromas of black cherry, leather and flowers. Then densely packed and a bit tight in the middle. Lively and powerful, if a bit less pliant than the unusually fleshy 2003 was at the same stage. Finishes long, with mounting, dusty tannins. A very solid, chewy wine that should require a good seven or eight years of bottle aging and last for upwards of 20 years.

Wine Advocate

93-96 / 100

par Robert Parker le 27/04/2006

This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (as ripe and impressive as Madame Gasqueton has ever seen) and 40% Merlot. The Merlot was harvested between September 15-22 and the Cabernet Sauvignon was brought in during the first two weeks of October. The result is a classic Calon-Segur exhibiting a dense purple color, ripe black cherry, cassis, smoke, earth, and new oak characteristics, powerful but sweet tannin, a huge texture, and broad, concentrated flavors. It will undoubtedly close down after bottling. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030+.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

15,5-15,75 / 20

le 13/04/2006

Le nez est très joli, mais c'est la première fois que je goûte un Calon Ségur aussi extrait que celui-ci. Le vinificateur, dans son ardeur, n'a-t-il pas oublié la beauté de la chair? Il est plus proche du caractère ferme des Saint-Estèphe cette année que de son style habituellement charmeur. A suivre à l'élevage.

Wine Spectator

92-94 / 100

par James Suckling le 28/03/2006

Dark-colored, with beautiful aromas of chocolate, spices and violets. Full-bodied, with superfine tannins and a long, long finish. Fresh and refined. A beauty. This is such a pleasure to taste. —J.S.