Château Calon Ségur, 'Le Marquis de Calon Ségur', 2020, Saint-Estèphe (AOC)

'One-Liner'
A plush, polished second wine from one of Saint-Estèphe’s great estates – blackcurrant, plum and graphite with silky tannins and a cool, minty finish.

Tasting Note
Deep ruby-purple in the glass, with generous aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant and ripe plum layered with graphite, cocoa and a touch of spearmint. The palate is rich and rounded, with dark fruit at its core and smooth, finely integrated tannins giving the wine plenty of shape without the sternness sometimes associated with young Saint-Estèphe. Notes of redcurrant, spice and subtle toasted oak build through the middle, while fresh acidity keeps the richness firmly in check. There is real depth here, but also an appealing suppleness that makes it much more approachable than the grand vin at the same age. Long and savoury on the finish, with cassis, graphite and cool mint lingering behind.

Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-Region: Saint-Estèphe AOC
Grape(s): 54% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 14.5%
Friendly: Sustainable

Awards & Critics' Scores
Decanter – 93/100
Jeb Dunnuck – 93/100
James Suckling – 93/100
Wine Enthusiast – 93/100
Vinous, Antonio Galloni – 92/100
Wine Spectator – 90/100

The Story
Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is not simply a lesser selection of the grand vin, but a deliberately different expression of the estate, with its parcels identified separately from the outset and a greater emphasis on Merlot for a rounder, more immediately seductive style. The vineyard lies on deep Quaternary gravel over clay on the northern edge of Saint-Estèphe, overlooking the Gironde, and the fruit is harvested by hand before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine is then aged for around seventeen months in barrel, approximately 30% new. Its name recalls Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, the eighteenth-century 'Prince of Vines', whose celebrated affection for Calon gave the château its enduring heart emblem. The 2020 combines that Saint-Estèphe structure with unusually plush fruit, making it a particularly accomplished second wine in its own right.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Classic rustic duck parmentier
- Vegetarian: Mushroom and thyme pasta bake
- Vegan: Lentil and walnut stuffed onions with rosemary and red wine gravy