Château Calon Ségur 2022

Deep, ripe-fruited, rich on the bouquet, mineral-driven, Burgundian, yet warm in its fruit, fascinating; on the palate round, soft, concentrated, ripe fruit, the finest tannins, plenty of spice and great precision, almost endless on the finish, orange zest on the finish. Power and freshness paired with elegance and charm.

A steady stream of cassis, dark plum and black cherry preserves seamlessly melds with lilac, licorice, alder and chestnut notes. Keeps a sleek, polished edge through the lengthy finish, while a subtle tug of earth provides a nice counterpoint. Captures the essence of the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2045. 7,083 cases made.

Rich and vibrant on the nose, concentrated and alcoholic. Crisp and clean on the palate, however, with a bite to the cherry, plum and blackcurrant fruit alongside a hint of sweet strawberry and herbal raspberry on the mid-palate that gives instant energy before the wine’s clear concentration and heft show through. Not so much in the texture as in the ripe flavours, with cool minty, stone-edged tannins and clear liquorice and clove spice. Still taut but detailed, with elements of generosity. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65 pH. A yield of 26 hl/ha. Ageing for 17 months, 30% new oak.

The 2022 Calon-Ségur has a powerful, burly bouquet with quite extravagant black, plummy fruit laced with dark chocolate and espresso. Lactones. The palate is sweet on the entry, lavish in style but thankfully showing control. Fine delineation, velvety-smooth, this is remarkably sensual for a Saint-Estèphe, but it needs time to erode that glossy veneer. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

Inky dark in color, and equally dark in its fruit profile, the wine kicks off with blackberries, crème de cassis, smoke, lead pencil, and flowers on the nose. The palate is fresh, energetic, and packed with layers of black currants, blackberries, Asian spice, and espresso. The wine is powerful, concentrated, and crisp, with a vibrant, lifted, firm finish that ends with a hint of salty fruits and chocolate mint on the back end. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2030–2060.

Dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the ochre rim. On the nose, delicate notes of bourbon vanilla and black cherry, with a hint of nougat and fig. The palate is taut and elegant, with fine fruit, good freshness, ripe, supporting tannins, and a powerful finish, mineral and persistent, showing length and ageing potential. (25/1, +30, PM).

The flagship 2022 Château Calon Ségur checks in as 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It's a massive wine from this château that brings a fabulous nose of darker currants, smoked tobacco, chocolaty oak, graphite, and loamy earth. This full-bodied, deep, unctuous Saint-Estèphe has a round, layered mouthfeel, remarkably pure tannins, and flawless overall balance. It's going to take a decade to shed its baby fat, but this is legit sensational juice! Don’t miss it.

Slate and chalk-textured tannins, skilful ageing to keep the focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. The intensity and concentration are seductive, with plenty of dark chocolate, espresso, cocoa bean, liquorice and crème de cassis; seriously enjoyable, with clear ageing potential. 100% new oak in the cellars. 28 hl/ha yield following hail. Harvest from September 6 to 27.

All restraint on the nose, with lofty notes of Chinese lacquer, then flowers (rose, dandelion, potpourri). Indulgent and enveloping on the palate, caressing, with a cashmere texture that turns into a piercing intensity of acidity, bringing electrifying finesse. The finish, saline and enticing, leaves a savory imprint of fresh coffee.

The depth displayed by Calon Ségur’s bouquet speaks volumes about this cru’s ambitions. Oak élevage is present, to be sure, but it is hardly dominant. It quickly yields the stage to fruity, spicy and mineral nuances, with notes of elderberry, blueberry, sweet spices and cedar. On the palate, the wine immediately shows its breadth and amplitude. It sets the tone—perhaps with a touch too much charm—but it is likely seeking to channel the incredible power brought by its tannic structure. The wine also underlines its freshness and its ability to create harmony within a vigorous frame. For me, this is one of Calon Ségur’s greatest successes to date. We are not far from the Grail. It will come, I am convinced.

Deep, dark colour. Intense, refined, fruity nose, leaning more towards fresh fruit than dark fruit, which gives it a slightly lively edge. Precise on the attack and immediately very fragrant through the mid-palate, with a delicate richness that runs across the palate, the wine seems a little firmer than expected on the finish, even though it remains highly aromatic and long.

Brilliant, sapid, a cathedral-like structure with a spire of masterful, racy tannins around which the palate coils, revealing crushed red and black fruits, fine licorice, thyme blossom, cocoa, and spices. A little more Merlot this year, as in much of the Médoc, so well suited is the vintage.

A powerful wine with dark tannins and a great concentration, this is very fine. It is a big wine, with a dark coffee aroma, packed with black fruits and density, ready to drink from 2028.