2017 Calon Ségur

Calon-Ségur is the property most overdue head to heel of an overhaul, the redoubtable and yes, much missed Mme Gasqueton having left the historic estate unchanged since she took over the running in 1995. One constant has been talented winemaker Vincent Millet. He has worked under two very different regimes and produced great wines in both eras. It was a canny move by owners “Suravenir” to keep Millet on the payroll, someone who knows the estate better than anyone else and if anything, has flourished under the current proprietorship. Like the Marquis de Ségur, his heart lies at Calon-Ségur however, there is nothing he can do about the renovation work that has been going on for the last five years.

“It was a precocious growing season. We started the harvest on 13 September when in previous times we might have started maybe beginning of October. It was vital to find the balance between the acidity and the alcohol. I think we are finding the signature of the wine. It was important to respect the typicité of the vintage. It would have been a mistake to compensate for the lack of what Mother Nature gave.The analysis of the wine doesn’t really reflect how the wine tastes. The numbers suggest a very concentrated wine. There is density, but it tastes very balanced and fresh. The 2017 is really our vision for the blend of Calon-Ségur and in fact, there has been more reflection on what the assemblage should be since 2008. At 9%, there is less Cabernet Franc than previous years. We reduced the percentage of Merlot because when I blended it with the Cabernet Sauvignon I found that it reduced the volume of the wine, so to maintain this, I added the young Cabernet Sauvignon. I liked the tension that it imparted. The balance in the mouth was the real challenge. The structure of the wine is really different compared to previous vintages. I see the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 vintages are all completely different.” That last sentence is fundamental to the success of Calon-Ségur this vintage. They might have been tempted to go for broke, distracted by the “opposition” and produced a super-concentrated, critic-baiting wine that would impress at en primeur. Instead Vincent Millet has created a quintessential Calon-Ségur that will rank alongside the previous two vintages, yet, cut from a different cloth since the final blend has been “rejigged”. Calon-Ségur occasionally stumbled over its own power, often because of the high alcohol imparted by the Merlot. By “taming” the Merlot and limiting its contribution, they have edged closer to what a top-grade Grand Vin can be, though we will not really see the results until the renovation is completed and more importantly, when new vine plantings reach maturity. That takes many years, but the prospect is tantalizing. You can bet your bottom dollar that it has the likes of Montrose and Cos d’Estournel on their toes.