16 vintages of Calon Segur
Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.
Tasted January 20, 2014 by PanosKakaviatos with 1,842 views
Introduction
Last year in Bordeaux, I convinced Laurent Dufau of Chateau Calon Segur to come to Washington D.C. to present the wines of this famous estate - the oldest in the Medoc. The chateau has a reputation for avoiding publicity so this tasting - since the chateau was purchased by a French bank barely two years ago - was the first such event with a representative of the chateau in the US since at least 20 years, if not 120, Dufau said. Participants included many wine geeks, professional wine sellers, sommeliers, merchants and restaurateurs. It was fun. And a good learning experience. Important to note that since 2006, the estate has been increasing the density of its vineyard planting and the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. Until 2006, the blend included as much as almost 50 percent Merlot. Since that vintage, the average has been closer to 80/20 Cabernet/Merlot. My overall favorite is 2009: a superb vintage that defies the high alcohol trends of Bordeaux and will prove to be something very special in 15-20 years.
Flight 1 - Krug starter (1 note)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée
France, Champagne
A delicious way to start a special evening of 16 vintages of Calon Segur, this was at once creamy and precise, made from a blend of vintages reaching back to 1990 - and in contact with the lees for 6 years before disgorgement. Many thanks to Maria Denton, a sommelier and sales rep for Krug, for bringing four bottles to the dinner.
Flight 2 - 2008-2009-2010 with venison carpaccio (3 notes)
Red
2010 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
When tasted en primeur, I found it a bit too austere but it has tamed itself... And yet, this is a wine that needs lots of time. Several participants at a dinner I organised for Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C. voted this wine as the best for the future, among 16 vintages. The structure is there, the freshness and the substance. It is not just together yet. Potential for a higher score.
Red
2009 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
This is a great bottle of wine. There is sex appeal and structure. The northern Medoc excelled in 2009. While some people believe that 2009 is an all-around positive vintage, let us not forget that this is when Merlot started getting out of hand... Not so in the Medoc, and certainly not at Calon Segur. Some critics ooh and ah over the excessive winemaking at Cos d'Estournel, which comes across as a caricature of winemaking. Here we have 100% new oak but very well integrated - and 90% Cabernet. This baby will evolve into something very special. Boy am I glad I bought 12 bottles en primeur. Montrose is no doubt better, but Calon Segur is less than half the price (still).
Red
2008 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Fine and fresh aromatics. Another underrated 2008. Fine ripeness, excellent verve if not as structured as either 2010 or 2009. Critic John Gilman liked this more than either the 2009 or the 2010. I would not go that far, but people who dismiss this as not as concentrated may be in for a surprise. There is sneaky persistence on the finish.
Flight 3 - 2005-2006-2007 with glazed veal sweetbreads (3 notes)
Red
2007 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
One of the better 07s from Bordeaux. Very charming and went so well with the dinner. Slight bottle variation. But here we have a wine that is more reflective of the terroir: since around this vintage, the estate made its first wine from the 55 hectares within the clos of the chateau. And they used more Cabernet: here some 83% Cabernet (as opposed to the virtual 50/50 mix of Cab/Merlot with the 2005). A lovely effort in a challenging vintage.
Red
2006 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Not sure what to think of the 2006. Stolid. Yet solid. No word play :-). I recall reporting in September in Bordeaux for decanter.com when the rain fell, and got some savory quotes from Jean Rene Matignon of Pichon Baron basically saying that this was detrimental to optimal ripeness. Laurent Dufau of Calon Segur himself compares 2006 to 1975: "Will it ever come around?" The substance is there, on the mid palate, but it is hardly pleasurable. Critic John Gilman is convinced that this will be great down the road. Cross the fingers, but for now...
Red
2005 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
A rather disappointing 2005. While it was good, it was somewhat Merlot glossy. Not spoofilated like a Pavie of the same vintage, for example, but lacking nuance and complexity. It was pleasing, to be sure. And some tasters oohed and aahed over this. But I think it lacked gravitas. Let's just say that 2006 had too much gravitas, and 2005 not enough.
Flight 4 - 2001-2002-2003 with potato gnocchi (3 notes)
Red
2003 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Cornucopia of aromas and flavors and not cooked or jammy. One of the very best wines from this torrid vintage - and it is no coincidence that Calon Segur is in the northern Medoc. It lacks the substance of the greater mid palates from 2003 (Pichon Baron or Leoville Barton for example) but its charm is appealing.
Red
2002 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
I used to love 02s from the Left Bank, but some seem to be on a faster evolutionary track than previously thought. There was discussion over 2001/2002, with some tasters saying that the 2002 will outlast 2001. The 2001 - certainly "classic" - simply has more matiere and I lean towards the view that the 2001 will outlast the 2002, in this case.
Red
2001 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Here a solid example of a Medoc 2001 that provides structure and tannin for the longer haul. While opening 2001s and 2002s before the dinner, I was surprised by the air that 2001 needed. This wine obtained the most votes for wine to be consumed in 10 years. I would agree. The 2009 and 2010 need 20.
Flight 5 - 1998-1999-2000 with pigeon breast (3 notes)
Red
2000 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
In a closed phase. I think that this wine has much potential but it seemed very muscular, pebbly and closed down. Do not touch now.
Red
1999 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Smooth and accessible. I recall trying this along with Montrose 1999 five years ago in Bordeaux, and many preferred the Calon Segur 1999. This wine seems very juicy and accessible and some at my table loved it more than either the 1998 or the 2000 - at first. But over time, we realized its limitations. If you have any 1999, you can enjoy it now.
Red
1998 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
What a very pleasant surprise. The Cabernets have been tamed with time in bottle. 1998 saw rainfall that messed up the Cabernet harvest - otherwise it would have been like 2000. 1998 was a great year for Merlot and Calon Segur included some 50 percent Merlot in this period, so we have a wine with a very endearing nose followed by structure that has some flesh. Lovely stuff!
Flight 6 - 1989-1995-1996 with lamb saddle & shoulder (3 notes)
Red
1996 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
What lovely cool blueberry fruit. This had much precision and focus and it was one of my favorite wines of the evening. It was interesting to compare this to 1995 and 1989. Keith Levenberg loved the 1995. And while the 1995 may have had more substance on the mid palate, I think that the 1996 conveyed greater freshness and precision. An interesting comparison to be sure - and one to monitor in the future!
Red
1995 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
The aromatics were more roasted to the cool 1996. The palate quite enveloping and full bodied and - very pleasing. I liked the palate feel and the fact that I felt this wine pushing my flavor sensors in a good way. But it had a touch of monolithic to it.
Red
1989 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Here some bottle variation, and one table had the really good bottle (among the three per vintage). Still, I could understand why over half of the 35 participants at this marvelous dinner chose this wine to be their favorite among the 16 vintages to drink today. From Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages to Kathy Morgan, master sommelier, this was the proverbial "wine of the night". I liked the bloody aspect to this wine, which paired superbly with the lamb: an excellent wine/food pairing. But I still preferred the 1996 in this flight of 1996-1995-1989.
Flight 7 - 1982 with five year aged gouda (1 note)
Red
1982 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Once again: bottle variation. There are 1982s and there are 1982s. Just three years ago, a Calon Segur 1982 beat out most others as the "best". But we have had a string of slightly oxidized or tired versions this evening. The one at our table was not oxidized but somewhat muted. With air, it started to liven up, but it had already been carafed for about one hour - and we were worried about too much contact. Although it firmed up, it never achieved a superior level of complexity and nuance that I had had with another 1982 just two years ago.
Flight 8 - Stickies (3 notes)
White - Sweet/Dessert
1986 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
A beautiful showing from this wine, many thanks to Howard Cooper for bringing it for the end of the Calon Segur tasting dinner at Ripple. Almost Barsac like in its profile, pristine clarity and fine acidity lifting the sweetness.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2001 Château Raymond-Lafon
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
This was enjoyed alongside two other Sauternes at the end of the Calon Segur dinner, and provided much depth and nuance. It was spicy and rich. A very good 2001.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1989 Château Rieussec
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Many thanks to Randy McFarlane for bringing this bottle to the dinner of 16 vintages of Calon Segur. Alas it was slightly faulty.
Closing
Many thanks to Laurent for his generous offer of most all wines. And to participants Maria Denton, who brought four bottles of Krug to start things off, to Chris Bublitz, who brought a couple of 1982s, to Howard Cooper for bringing a magnificent bottle of Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1986 and to Randy McFarlane for a Rieussec 1989.
Ripple is a class act, the food and service are both superb!
Postscript, Saturday 25 January: One thought before I fly back to Europe today. I put together notes quickly after this dinner and - on balance - that is the best way to do so. But upon reflection, I think that the 2005 merits at least 90 points, if you are going to score. The 2007 seemed so good to me in part because of the food/wine pairing. I took into account vintage character for all my notes: hence a less enthusiastic score for 2005 (the chateau perhaps underperforming) and a more enthusiastic score for 2007 (chateau overperforming). And the 2000 probably merits a higher score. What I should have added to my note was that - as Danny Fisher and I were decanting - the 2000 followed the 98 and 99. I instantly noticed a more interesting and deep aromatic profile with the 2000, as well as a larger scaled albeit muted palate. I think that the 2000 is basically asleep right now and certainly will be appreciated more in years to come than any current score may indicate.
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