Calon Ségur 2010

The 2010 is performing well,. With Cabernet Sauvignon dominating the blend, the wine has a dense plum/purple color along with notes of underbrush, black currants, plum, licorice, smoky charcuterie and some roasted herbs in the background. Full-bodied, moderately tannic and set for an extremely long life, this will not be a wine to please those looking for immediate gratification. Rather, I would suspect this wine will close down even further in bottle and, despite its full-bodied, powerful, massive size, it will need at least a decade of cellaring before it is accessible. This is another 2010 capable of lasting 35-50 years.

The 2010 Calon-Ségur has a slightly gamey bouquet, vibrant and energetic with plenty of red and black fruit. This appears to gain complexity with aeration, revealing hidden facets with each swirl of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a really gorgeous, surprisingly fleshy but focused finish that exudes style and class. What a lovely wine. You could almost broach this now although I prefer to leave this a few more years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. 2025 - 2055.

Sure pure fruit to this red with a minerality and floral undertone. You can smell the warm stones. Full body, with a beautiful depth of fruit and velvety tannins. Dense and balanced. Layered with a light salty and meaty character as well. Great length. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. Try in 2017.

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. With 14% press wine all in new oak. Extremely deep purple. Really racy and energetic on the nose (compared to Montrose..?) and with great saveur on the palate. The press wine is a little evident at the moment. Very racy and fine and terroir-driven. No added sweetness. Neat and long and very authentic. No extremes; no complexes; no obvious trying? Winemaker Vincent Millet worked at Ch Margaux eight years which gave him, he says, the technique of working the Cabernet Sauvignon to gentle effect. He felt he could add finesse to the tannins.

This classic Chateau has one of the greatest terroirs of Bordeaux. Quality is always high but en primeur prices are usually reasonable - especially so in comparison to those of traditional rivals and neighbours Cos d'Estournel and Montrose. There is a new winemaker - Vincent Millet, brought in from Chateau Margaux. The owner, Madame Gasqueton has been here a long time and doesn't need to produce a show-off style of wine. The wine comes from a plot of 38 hectares of which 26 are in production and average age of the vines is 20 years old. Hail storms at the end of May meant that production was reduced by 50% (this was very high considering Ormes de Pez only had 18% reduction from same hail storms). The encepagement this year is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. 13.7% alcohol. The harvest took place between 5 - 15th October. Elevage in 80% new oak barrels and 20% in one year old. Dark crimson in colour with a bright, glossy rim. Nice smokiness on the nose with oak and leather also present. There appears great purity of fruit here, with a silky smooth and rounded mouth feel. It is clear there is good concentration of flavours and concentration, however what really surprises is the freshness of the acidity on the finish. Great length. Classic and classily refined.

The nose has lots of different black fruits with a mix of bramble and black cherry. Freshness is very much in evidence on the palate quite light and fragrant. Sweeter more concentrated cassis shows towards the back the sweetness helped by ripe feeling tannins. The finish is bright and long.

Superb expression of black fruits, sensational depth of supple/succulent flavours, great harmony, purity and length, for me the best Saint-Estèphe this year. Drink 2020-50.