Calon-Ségur The sleeping beauty has found her princes charming.
This magnificent 3rd Grand Cru Classé of the appellation Saint-Estèphe, changed ownership at the end of 2012. Formerly managed by Denise Gasqueton, the Château Calon-Ségur will not have confirmed a succession within this old Bordeaux family, owner since 1894. But it is a safe bet that the new institutional shareholder, the insurer Suravenir (subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa), is today putting in place a rejuvenation cure which should once again sway the hearts of enthusiasts towards the sleeping beauty.
A love story
In the 18th century, the Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, President of the Parliament of Bordeaux and also owner of Lafite and Latour, acquired through his marriage, the Château of CalonHe will soon declare: "I make wine in Lafite and in Latour But my heart is in Calon." (QED: The heart is on the bottle label)
In the past, the estate produced wines that gained a reputation for being among the most robust of the appellationSome great vintages have produced exceptional wines like the 1990 which will be able to move fans until 2030 or the magnificent 95 and 96 and more recently the 2000.
Vincent Millet, who grew up at the school of Château Margaux had joined Calon-Ségur in 2006 and signed a splendid 2007 by increasing the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend (60% in 2006, 75% in 2007 then 85% in 2008) by lengthening the aging periods and by continuing the policy of replanting the vineyard at 10,000 vines/ha instead of 5,000 vines, promoting competition between each vine and thus bringing more concentration.
During the campaign First fruits of 2013Our visit to the property allowed us to observe the level of ambition shown by the new manager, Laurent Dufau, former managing director of the trading house. Ballande & Méneret This has led to numerous renovation projects. These include: the offices (for welcoming guests and clients), the vineyard (the vineyard restructuring will be completed in 2028), the winery (with a new vat room designed to better manage the individual plots and to prioritize gravity-flow techniques), and finally, a splendid tasting room. The stated objective is to "recapture the prestige and splendor of yesteryear…that of the 19th century. To achieve this, we wish to improve the qualitative consistency "for each vintage to come, and to affirm the Calon signature," Laurent Dufau told us.
Will the awakened beauty one day surpass her rival? Château Montrose which also carried out major renovation work and which hosted its 2013 in a brand new winery?
In fact, the tasting of 2013 vintage proves to be one of the most appealing we've encountered out of over a hundred wines tasted during this campaign. Like the rest of the Medoc, reinforcement of cabernet in the blend (75% cabernet sauvignon and 17% cabernet franc for only 6% merlot) A very beautiful juice without vegetal notes (which could be found in some cabernet sauvignons harvested underripe) with finesse and elegance.
Was it the terroir – which contains the most clay, known for its water-regulating properties – that allowed the grapes to cope with the 230 days of accumulated rainfall over the year? Or was it the nerves of the team that proved strongest, allowing them to wait a few more days before harvesting and allowing the grapes to reach greater ripeness?
According to Michel Bettane, the famous critic and publisher of the eponymous guide: " HAS Saint-Estèphe, Calon-Ségur is the most unforgettable. In my opinion, it's one of the best 2013 Médoc wines.
In short, a property that's a real gem to watch...and to cellar.