I loved this. Dark ruby; nose pretty much a 50/50 red/black fruit balance. Dusty and abundant tannins; high acidity. Iron, cranberries and cherries on the palate; very light on it's feet, probably helped by the fact that there's not a lot of perceptible sweetness or oak. Very young with decades left in the tank. The most red fruited left bank bordeaux I can remember.
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Decanted in the wine cellar for three hours before a taste test against the 1994 vintage (undecanted due to age). The consensus was unanimous with the 1994 winning one over the 2015. Both were wonderful but it was interesting to compare against a 29 year old vintage. So wonderful to experience the age of the same winery’s Bordeaux. 2015 was was predictably a brighter red versus the tawny color of the aged 1994. Tannins in the 1994 were super mellow. The 2015 definitely smoothed out after decanting as I tasted it before and after so it was definitely beneficial to decant it. Nose on the 94 was more cigar and leather versus floral and dark berries on the 2015. Finish on the 94 was smooth 2015 was a little more astringent. Both were lovely wines that we enjoyed with grilled lamb chops and cedar plank grilled salmon for the non-lamb folks.
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Color is medium ruby with soft garnet notes. Very dark in the nose and on the palate. Ripe black currant, blackberries, ripe blueberries, soft licorice and tar notes. Medium (+) bodied with a medium acidity. Beautiful and quite intense tannins, not completely integrated yet. Good fruit structure and complexity. Not as much fruit as in other great Calon years but I really love its typical left bank character. Very nice overall balance and a distinctive medium long finish. It’s already in a good shape but if you really want to enjoy this beauty I would suggest to wait a little longer and start drinking in 2025. (IG)
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Tasted it overseas in Malaysia at a Chinese restaurant. The wine tasted tired and I had two bottles with similar characteristics. I guess the wine was not kept well and aged faster. Medium+ nose intensity with red and black fruits, toast, spices. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin.
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The past few years have added a lot of complexity and richness to this wine. Now you find some development with nuances of tobacco leaf, cigar box, mint, plums, blackberries, and currants. On the palate, the wine is opulent, lush, round, and polished with a showy, attention-seeking character, finishing with creamy tannins, freshness, and layers of sweet, ripe, lush, Asian spiced fruits. Give it a few more years for additional secondary development and it will be even better! Drink from 2026-2055.
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2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
I was very much looking forward to my St Estephe tastings. While unfair to discount St Estephe based on Cos and Calon Segur tastings, it has certainly made it take a back seat and won’t search it out until I get to taste a great vintage from one of the estates, from my inventory or elsewhere (finally I saved money by not having to double up previous orders after the fact).
Tasted at the chateau: 2015 Chateau Capbern 2015 Le Marquis de Calon Segur 2015 Calon Segur
The wine was just ok? We had an incredible chateau representative but the wines did not show as I would have hoped and especially for a 2015. Now did St Estephe struggle in 2015 unlike everywhere else in Bordeaux or should these wines have been opened the day before or do I simply not prefer St Estephe (I doubt that to be the case but a fair question)- I am unable to get a read as I don't have the experience with these to provide an educated read or guess so as I did with Cos, I will not buy more (yay saving money) and will not search these out as I had planned but I will not write off the chateau or St Estephe until I have a great representation to accurately consider.
I haven’t tasted this wine before but with the 2018 in mind and given the solar vintage, I expected a quite ripe wine with a touch too much alcohol for my taste. But it was a nicely structured, fine and fresh, ripe but not too ripe wine with lots of earthiness and minerality to balance the fruit. This is in a wonderful first drinking window and I expect it to reach the infamous 95+ point category once mature. Compared to the best 2015s, this has a lower complexity, a slightly lower precision and a less luxurious, airy structure.
TN: Medium expressive nose with dark cherries and cassis, earthy notes with a bit of tobacco. Round and harmonious. Cassis and dark cherries on the attack, followed by a layered picture mid palate with additional red berry notes, tobacco, wet earth, limestone and just a bit of spices. Good but not perfect precision but with a very good balance. Medium bodied, with satin-like tannins and a medium acidity, creamy texture. Good length with fruit and earthy driven finish.
Decanting: Not decanted, this wine needed roughly 25 minutes in a big bowl glass to soften and open up. Like many 2015s these days, a double decant a few hours prior to consumption is more than enough.
Glass: Conterno Sensory
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Hard to believe how accessible this was. Also, surprising how balanced and drinkable this was at a young age. Silky concentrated fruit almost juicy, leans darker fruited, fine but prominent tannins. Really holds the palate. Strong bones here--but hard to imagine 90's examples from this chateau tasted similar at this age.
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Decanted and drank over Valentine’s Day dinner. Definitely benefitted from the air, great wine but could use some time in the cellar. Complex and elegant, this wine is earth driven but has a red fruit core. Cedar, wet earth, and some cherry on the nose. Palate confirms the nose, very structured wine. Medium long finish.
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I think this wine is underrated. A complete and classy Bordeaux with expressive red fruit profile, good extraction and acidity, some library character, and balanced tannic structure. Tasted head to head with 15 Pontet Canet (among a bunch of other reds) and it showed very well. If 16 is a better vintage of Calon (haven’t tasted it for comparison) I am very happy to hold a few of those
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The 2015 Calon Segur has a beautiful blueberry, cassis nose, the only issue being a bit of heat poking through. Cedary, rich, mineral palate with good acidity and a delicious finish. This has the potential to do very well for itself. 93-94.
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Maybe it is just way too young, but I found the oak and cedar notes to be a bit overpowering on the nose and the palate. Don’t get me wrong, this is a well made wine, but there was not the balance I was looking for. Maybe the oak will integrate over time. Put this one in the back of the cellar and don’t pull it out until 2025. I preferred the second label Le Marquis when we tasted side by side as it is already accessible. Tasted at the winery.
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Dark crimson.The nose delivers gorgeous and pure aromas of blackberry,blueberry,licorice,cedar,and some floral notes.Medium-bodied,the palate is very juicy,creamy and refined with excellent balance and depth.A rich and complete mouthfeel ends in a long,persistent finish.Classy and sophisticated.It rocks !
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I did not expect the 2015 Calon-Segur to reach the level of the 2014, where St.-Estephe rocked the vintage, but this is definitely on the same level and I would need to taste them side-by-side to work out any preference for one over the other. The general flavor profile is the same, deeply pitched blackberry fruit with loads of cedar and pencil shavings, though the shape of the '14 was probably more suave while this one has a broad, masculine frame with seriously muscled tannins. I remember how cotton-mouthed the vin de garde Calons from the '90s and '00s were, and the estate has since made some deliberate efforts towards a more modern flair, but this is just as structurally packed for long aging even if the deeper fruit pitch and ratcheted-up intensity gives it a friendlier gloss. One of the best '15s I have had so far.
Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): The nose was earthy and woodsy, showing tobacco, cedar box, dark red berry, currant, graphite, and minerals, yet amazingly fresh for the vintage. On the palate, I found silky textures, dark yet fresh and precise, with woodland red and blackberries, savory minerality, leather, and zesty acids. The finish was long with grippy tannin, dried red fruits, inner florals and refreshing acidity.
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Starting to close in at the moment, you can still catch a glimpse of the bright, crisp red fruits before it goes to sleep. The wine has sweet fruits, ripe tannins and length, but perhaps it lacks some weight on the mid palate.
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Assessing Bordeaux 2015 from bottle, part I; 11/2/2017-11/3/2017 (Bordeaux): Gorgeous with fine Havanna tobacco. The palate has a bit of tannic edge though. A case of the nose welcoming more than the palate, but overall, the palate shows nuance and depth and a long finish. Should turn out great with 10 years in your cellar.
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Bright, fresh, crisp and classic with flavors that shift from cassis to cranberry, raspberry and back again, giving you a wine with a slightly strict and spicy profile. Produced from a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine reached 13.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.75. The blend includes a surprisingly high 22% of press wine, which was added to bring more tannin and backbone to the wine. And then there were three. Keep your eye on Calon Segur. With their spare no sense attitude, they are striving to make it a three way contest as to which estate is making the best wine in the St. Estephe appellation today. 90 - 92 Pts
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10/25/2023 - Jamieson12o wrote: 95 Points
I loved this. Dark ruby; nose pretty much a 50/50 red/black fruit balance. Dusty and abundant tannins; high acidity. Iron, cranberries and cherries on the palate; very light on it's feet, probably helped by the fact that there's not a lot of perceptible sweetness or oak. Very young with decades left in the tank. The most red fruited left bank bordeaux I can remember.
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8/16/2023 - Bordeaux Lady Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted in the wine cellar for three hours before a taste test against the 1994 vintage (undecanted due to age). The consensus was unanimous with the 1994 winning one over the 2015. Both were wonderful but it was interesting to compare against a 29 year old vintage. So wonderful to experience the age of the same winery’s Bordeaux. 2015 was was predictably a brighter red versus the tawny color of the aged 1994. Tannins in the 1994 were super mellow. The 2015 definitely smoothed out after decanting as I tasted it before and after so it was definitely beneficial to decant it. Nose on the 94 was more cigar and leather versus floral and dark berries on the 2015. Finish on the 94 was smooth 2015 was a little more astringent. Both were lovely wines that we enjoyed with grilled lamb chops and cedar plank grilled salmon for the non-lamb folks.
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6/27/2023 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really good wine but not at same level than 2014 and more expensive
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4/24/2023 - DrZett wrote: 93 Points
Color is medium ruby with soft garnet notes. Very dark in the nose and on the palate. Ripe black currant, blackberries, ripe blueberries, soft licorice and tar notes. Medium (+) bodied with a medium acidity. Beautiful and quite intense tannins, not completely integrated yet. Good fruit structure and complexity. Not as much fruit as in other great Calon years but I really love its typical left bank character. Very nice overall balance and a distinctive medium long finish.
It’s already in a good shape but if you really want to enjoy this beauty I would suggest to wait a little longer and start drinking in 2025. (IG)
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2/15/2023 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted it overseas in Malaysia at a Chinese restaurant. The wine tasted tired and I had two bottles with similar characteristics. I guess the wine was not kept well and aged faster. Medium+ nose intensity with red and black fruits, toast, spices. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin.
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1/2/2023 - peterag Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of the best St Estephes, rich in flavor but not overwhelming, not too tannic, fresh but full bodied; exactly what is great about best St Estephe
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7/8/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
The past few years have added a lot of complexity and richness to this wine. Now you find some development with nuances of tobacco leaf, cigar box, mint, plums, blackberries, and currants. On the palate, the wine is opulent, lush, round, and polished with a showy, attention-seeking character, finishing with creamy tannins, freshness, and layers of sweet, ripe, lush, Asian spiced fruits. Give it a few more years for additional secondary development and it will be even better! Drink from 2026-2055.
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4/10/2022 - CJ the DJ Likes this wine:
Gave it a shot while young. Fresh and balanced, but should have waited.
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7/16/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 90 Points
2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
I was very much looking forward to my St Estephe tastings. While unfair to discount St Estephe based on Cos and Calon Segur tastings, it has certainly made it take a back seat and won’t search it out until I get to taste a great vintage from one of the estates, from my inventory or elsewhere (finally I saved money by not having to double up previous orders after the fact).
Tasted at the chateau:
2015 Chateau Capbern
2015 Le Marquis de Calon Segur
2015 Calon Segur
The wine was just ok? We had an incredible chateau representative but the wines did not show as I would have hoped and especially for a 2015. Now did St Estephe struggle in 2015 unlike everywhere else in Bordeaux or should these wines have been opened the day before or do I simply not prefer St Estephe (I doubt that to be the case but a fair question)- I am unable to get a read as I don't have the experience with these to provide an educated read or guess so as I did with Cos, I will not buy more (yay saving money) and will not search these out as I had planned but I will not write off the chateau or St Estephe until I have a great representation to accurately consider.
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4/5/2021 - pudding Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth, Not very Armoric though Ready to drink, time to pop!
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3/14/2021 - Ryanh8 Likes this wine:
Such a great wine for the price. Very complex, old world style, but good base of fruit. Would love to try more
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2/9/2021 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
I haven’t tasted this wine before but with the 2018 in mind and given the solar vintage, I expected a quite ripe wine with a touch too much alcohol for my taste. But it was a nicely structured, fine and fresh, ripe but not too ripe wine with lots of earthiness and minerality to balance the fruit. This is in a wonderful first drinking window and I expect it to reach the infamous 95+ point category once mature. Compared to the best 2015s, this has a lower complexity, a slightly lower precision and a less luxurious, airy structure.
TN: Medium expressive nose with dark cherries and cassis, earthy notes with a bit of tobacco. Round and harmonious. Cassis and dark cherries on the attack, followed by a layered picture mid palate with additional red berry notes, tobacco, wet earth, limestone and just a bit of spices. Good but not perfect precision but with a very good balance. Medium bodied, with satin-like tannins and a medium acidity, creamy texture. Good length with fruit and earthy driven finish.
Decanting: Not decanted, this wine needed roughly 25 minutes in a big bowl glass to soften and open up. Like many 2015s these days, a double decant a few hours prior to consumption is more than enough.
Glass: Conterno Sensory
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2/28/2020 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hard to believe how accessible this was. Also, surprising how balanced and drinkable this was at a young age. Silky concentrated fruit almost juicy, leans darker fruited, fine but prominent tannins. Really holds the palate. Strong bones here--but hard to imagine 90's examples from this chateau tasted similar at this age.
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2/14/2020 - Ryanh8 wrote:
Decanted and drank over Valentine’s Day dinner. Definitely benefitted from the air, great wine but could use some time in the cellar. Complex and elegant, this wine is earth driven but has a red fruit core. Cedar, wet earth, and some cherry on the nose. Palate confirms the nose, very structured wine. Medium long finish.
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10/22/2019 - yeti575rider wrote: 93 Points
75 Years of Zachys (DC) (LongView Gallery Washington DC): Enjoyed this. Well balanced . Redder profile. Maybe a bit straightforward but still quite good.
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10/12/2019 - jviz wrote: 95 Points
I think this wine is underrated. A complete and classy Bordeaux with expressive red fruit profile, good extraction and acidity, some library character, and balanced tannic structure. Tasted head to head with 15 Pontet Canet (among a bunch of other reds) and it showed very well. If 16 is a better vintage of Calon (haven’t tasted it for comparison) I am very happy to hold a few of those
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10/1/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
The 2015 Calon Segur has a beautiful blueberry, cassis nose, the only issue being a bit of heat poking through. Cedary, rich, mineral palate with good acidity and a delicious finish. This has the potential to do very well for itself. 93-94.
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7/24/2019 - PapaGeorgio_208 wrote: 90 Points
Maybe it is just way too young, but I found the oak and cedar notes to be a bit overpowering on the nose and the palate. Don’t get me wrong, this is a well made wine, but there was not the balance I was looking for. Maybe the oak will integrate over time. Put this one in the back of the cellar and don’t pull it out until 2025. I preferred the second label Le Marquis when we tasted side by side as it is already accessible. Tasted at the winery.
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12/21/2018 - Sundbyberg wrote: 93 Points
Not quite as deep, full and pure as the 2009, yet a very serious, mediumbodied wine from St Estephe.
More 2003 than 2009, I would say.
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11/13/2018 - valedeniro wrote: 94 Points
Dark crimson.The nose delivers gorgeous and pure aromas of blackberry,blueberry,licorice,cedar,and some floral notes.Medium-bodied,the palate is very juicy,creamy and refined with excellent balance and depth.A rich and complete mouthfeel ends in a long,persistent finish.Classy and sophisticated.It rocks !
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9/6/2018 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
I did not expect the 2015 Calon-Segur to reach the level of the 2014, where St.-Estephe rocked the vintage, but this is definitely on the same level and I would need to taste them side-by-side to work out any preference for one over the other. The general flavor profile is the same, deeply pitched blackberry fruit with loads of cedar and pencil shavings, though the shape of the '14 was probably more suave while this one has a broad, masculine frame with seriously muscled tannins. I remember how cotton-mouthed the vin de garde Calons from the '90s and '00s were, and the estate has since made some deliberate efforts towards a more modern flair, but this is just as structurally packed for long aging even if the deeper fruit pitch and ratcheted-up intensity gives it a friendlier gloss. One of the best '15s I have had so far.
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6/20/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
Joanne Bordeaux Trip 2018 (Bordeaux): The nose was earthy and woodsy, showing tobacco, cedar box, dark red berry, currant, graphite, and minerals, yet amazingly fresh for the vintage. On the palate, I found silky textures, dark yet fresh and precise, with woodland red and blackberries, savory minerality, leather, and zesty acids. The finish was long with grippy tannin, dried red fruits, inner florals and refreshing acidity.
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5/21/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Starting to close in at the moment, you can still catch a glimpse of the bright, crisp red fruits before it goes to sleep. The wine has sweet fruits, ripe tannins and length, but perhaps it lacks some weight on the mid palate.
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11/2/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Assessing Bordeaux 2015 from bottle, part I; 11/2/2017-11/3/2017 (Bordeaux): Gorgeous with fine Havanna tobacco. The palate has a bit of tannic edge though. A case of the nose welcoming more than the palate, but overall, the palate shows nuance and depth and a long finish. Should turn out great with 10 years in your cellar.
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4/19/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Bright, fresh, crisp and classic with flavors that shift from cassis to cranberry, raspberry and back again, giving you a wine with a slightly strict and spicy profile. Produced from a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine reached 13.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.75. The blend includes a surprisingly high 22% of press wine, which was added to bring more tannin and backbone to the wine. And then there were three. Keep your eye on Calon Segur. With their spare no sense attitude, they are striving to make it a three way contest as to which estate is making the best wine in the St. Estephe appellation today. 90 - 92 Pts
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