Château Calon Ségur, St. Estephe, Bordeaux, France, 1996

About the Winemaker
Every morning, when the vines are arousing from their slumber, the “inhabitants” of Calon take possession of the place, and the estate turns into a village. Fifty or so people work here: vineyard workers, tractor drivers, an administrative team, the cellar crew, agricultural engineers, hospitality men and women. People from Saint-Estèphe of course, but also Médocains, Bordelais, as well as one or two talents that have come from abroad to take part in the Calon Ségur project. 

About the Wine
The Grand Vin of Calon Ségur mirrors its terroir. It is rare, authentic and stirs the soul. In the most natural way, it reveals both great delicacy and outstanding intensity. All the magic of Calon is in this balance. The wine is aged in new oak barrels for 20 months, the tannins of the oak integrating harmoniously over time with the tannins of the grapes. The style is brought by a Cabernet Sauvignon which expresses its finesse without arrogance. Elegance is to be found everywhere, in the purity of the wine’s flavours, in the delicacy of its texture, while its depth and length are also superb. The wine’s extraordinary ability to age many years in bottle is another feature of the estate. The 1947, 1953 and 1982 vintages, by way of example, still display astonishing signs of youth.

Grape / Blend
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot

Origin
St. Estephe, Bordeaux, France

93 Points - International Wine Cellar
Saturated ruby-red. Pure, highly perfumed aromas of black cherry, currant, plum, minerals, tobacco, leather and fresh herbs. Very ripe, suave and spicy; at once subtle and gripping. Lovely Cabernet character dominating today. Very firm, long finish is youthful but not hard-edged. Showing extremely well.

92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck 
Fully mature and drinking wonderfully well, the 1996 Château Calon Ségur has a classic nose of green tobacco, cedarwood, currants, and sous bois. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it has a wonderful sense of purity, polished tannins, solid mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. This is classic, focused, old school yet pure, balanced Bordeaux goodness. It has another two decades of prime drinking ahead of it. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak.

91 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted at the château, the 1996 Calon Segur is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. This was always a feted wine in its youth by Robert Parker and myself. Now at 20 years of age there is fine delineation on the nose with more detail than the 1986 tasted alongside. The oak is a little more present here (50% in this vintage) married with plenty of redcurrant, cedar, loam and undergrowth aromas. These aromatics can develop further. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin on the entry, perhaps one of the most youthful and backward of the 1996s that I tasted during my visits. It feels firm in the mouth, masculine, very Saint Estèphe.

90 Points - Wine Spectator 
Currant and fresh herbs. Full- to medium-bodied, with plum flavors and a medium finish.

Product size: 750ml