The iconic heart shape on Château Calon Ségur’s label isn’t merely an eye-catching piece of graphic design – it’s a clue to the amazing heritage of this benchmark Saint-Estèphe estate, the northernmost classified growth of the Médoc.
Centuries ago, Calon Ségur belonged to the renowned Bordeaux winemaker Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, who also operated Château Lafite and Château Latour. According to legend, he once quipped: “I make my wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon.”
That passion for Calon Ségur lives on today among collectors and the winery’s current operators, including winemaker Vincent Millet, a veteran of Château Margaux. Here, Sotheby’s Wine has assembled some of the estate’s most memorable recent vintages, as well as several prized large-format bottlings that offer excellent aging potential.
Calon Ségur’s main 136-acre vineyard is enclosed by a stone wall that likely dates to the days of the Marquis. Within, some of the greatest terroir of the appellation can be found: the chalky, gravelly soils that are typically found at higher elevations in the Médoc. Thanks to the cooler climate of the northerly location, grapes mature slowly and evenly, retaining fine acids as well as stately power.
Historically, Calon Ségur’s house style has tended towards muscular, tannic, traditional expressions that rewarded at least a decade or so of cellaring. Thanks to an extensive replanting program and a move to parcel-by-parcel vinification, the wines today are fresher and riper, showing a structure that is more harmonious.
The 2019 vintage, flirting with perfection, is an ideal place to start: full-bodied and opulent, this powerhouse release is loaded with blackberries and clove spice. A half-bottle is ideal for a tasting for two, or consider a large-format bottling that makes any occasion as monumental as the wine itself.
A house known for inspiring fierce loyalty, each of these vintages is a Grand Vin to savor and remember for years to come.
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