Calon Segur 2016

A monumental wine in the making, the 2016 Château Calon-Ségur is blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that spent a full 20 months in all new French oak. It offers an incredibly powerful, concentrated, classic style in its crème de cassis, graphite, scorched earth, tobacco, and lead pencil aromas and flavors. These give way to an inky, full-bodied 2016 that has perfectly integrated acidity and tannins, subtle background oak, thrilling depth and purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. My money is on it being the greatest wine ever made at this address. Although it shines even today on its purity and balance, it needs 5-7 years of bottle age to hit prime time and will keep for three to four decades.

Score: 97

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2024-2064 28 February 2019

The 2016 Calon Ségur is dense, powerful and radiant. Even so, it possesses striking aromatic intensity. Much of that no doubt comes from the Cabernet Franc. Sweet red cherry, plum, spice, mint and rose petal build into the silky, textured finish. In 2016, Calon Ségur is all class. There is quite a bit of tannin (more than 2014 and 2015) but the tannins are totally woven into the wine's fabric. The 2016 is not an explosive or obvious Calon, but rather a wine of exquisite beauty and pure class. Don't miss it! As of today, the best Saint-Estèphe wine of the vintage.

Score: 94 - 97

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 25 April 2017

The 2016 Calon Segur is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot cropped at 42 hectoliters per hectare between 29 September and 15 October (finishing with the Cabernets and the Petit Verdot). Notice that Cabernet Franc, which excelled not just here but around Saint Estèphe in this vintage, given that there was not a drop in the 2015. It has a very elegant bouquet, very pure with small macerated black cherries, blueberry, a hint of licorices and juniper berries, all effortlessly detailed and exuding what I term "controlled opulence." The palate is medium-bodied with a sense of symmetry on the entry, the acidity very well judged and the tannins far less rustic than the Calon-Ségurs of old. What I like about this Calon-Ségur is that it could not come from anywhere apart from Saint Estèphe: that structure, that obduracy counterbalanced by the opulence bestowed by the growing season. There is freshness locked in here from start to finish, with a subtle tang of seaweed and black pepper on the long aftertaste. For me this is a serious step up from the 2015, and the structure augurs a Calon-Ségur destined to last as long as those legendary wines from the 1920s and 1940s. Chapeau to winemaker Vincent Millet and estate director Laurent Dufau. This is easily the best Calon-Ségur that I have tasted from barrel.

Score: 95 - 97

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2026-2060 28 April 2017

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot & 2% Petit Verdot. High quality Cabernet Franc distinguishes the 2016 from the 2015 when none was used in the Grand Vin. A sophisticated nose, a wealth of ripe black and blue fruit. Profuse and weighty savoury black fruits in the mouth, very dense character that seems to build and build, with exciting freshness, elegant bite of ripe tannins and length. A great Calon Segur.

Score: 96 - 97

Albany Vintners, - 19 April 2017

This sports a dark fruit core, a mouthwatering iron edge and a long, tobacco-accented finish. The broad and racy feel gives this a distinctive profile. This should put on some weight.

Score: 94 - 97

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 06 April 2017