An easy afternoon with close friends (@ PdV): Dark berries and smoke in the bouquet. On the palate a sweet start with vanilla, well dosed oak, firm acidity and sticky tannin. A lot of sweet impressions. The wine is still in its infant stage but already delicious. 94 - 95+
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2 hour double decant and this revealed deep, dark aromas of blackberry, plum, cedar and tobacco leaf which led to a fresh, ripe, dark red fruited and earthy textured palate that faded effortlessly. 94+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Road testing new Zalto glasses. Initially a Coravin pour, but the cork came out later (which might tell a story) and briefly in a decanter. Nice wine, wonderful nose. Good tension, medium+ bodied, black fruit, tannins feel more resolved.
Perhaps entering “the zone”? 94-96 for me
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2 hour decant, but this baby needs to sleep a lot longer. It’s got stunning qualities but it’s still very tight and the tannins need at least 5 years to resolve.
Very glad to have more of it, though. I suspect this will deserve 95 points in time.
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Regrettably I was in no condition to make any considered judgement on this wine. Seemed good enough but not great and still a bit young. A clear head and a decant would have helped.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and drank over two days. Medium body. Already nice aroma of blackberry compote, dark chocolate, some tar. Plenty of fruit in the mouth, cedar and smoke, grainy tannins and already somewhat soft, medium acidity. A bit more elegant than the 2005 I recently had - this likely a function of vintage and age. I see very high scores for the 2014s - perhaps an attempt at predicting what is to come? Overall, very nice now (92), and very likely better in 3-5 years.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Superb nose, on raspberry liqueur. Ample and fleshy, it offers a magnificent volume in the mouth and expresses a real density with a finely "powdered" tannin and a texture of great nobility. More earthy but undoubtedly much more sensual than Las-Cases, One of the greatest 2014 with Lafleur and Petrus
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 1 hr. Very floral aroma upon decanting. On palate, blackberry with spice, leather, cedar, and some funk which blew off in glass. Can drink now since tannins are soft. Nice acidity. Long finish.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brought the bottle and decanted 20 minutes at Rathbun Steak in Atlanta. Surprisingly open and very giving after the short decant. Hypnotic nose and very fruit forward. Perfect pairing w/ Ribeye cap and (fancy) mac n cheese. My last bottle - sadness. '14 is such an underrated vintage across the board in Bordeaux IMO! Ran out the next day to find more '14 and couldn't - but was able to find and grab some of the '16 as notes show it may be even better than the '14! Brad - heavypourwine.com
Full-bodied, rich, spicy, intense, long, and captivating, the wine grabs you with its spicy fruits, cedar, tobacco leaf, red plums, blackberry, and floral nuances. Still youthful, yet approachable due to its structure and softness in the tannins, you can enjoy this now, if you like more primary notes, or age it as it is going to develop complexities over the years. The wine blends 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2050.
9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was extremely impressed by Calor-Ségur 2014 both at the „en primeur“ as well as at the „arrivage“ tasting and this is the first time checking in on it since then.
Deep purple color. First slightly holding back, but opening up beautifully with about an hour in the decanter. Beautifully layered, deep and complex, but with that undeniable 2014 classicism and freshness, it‘s showing notes of black cherries, cassis, but also some red fruit with pomegranate, violets, some orange zest, leather, tobacco leaf, crushed stone minerality, also some black olive. Very complex even at this early stage. It‘s medium-full bodied, with superb mid-palate persistence and weight, it has pretty high acidity and medium-high tannin that is extremely silky and ripe. Super long finish. I can‘t wait to see how this will age… for me probably the best Calon-Ségur to date (2014)… (96+)
This is a stunning, stunning, STUNNING wine. This is a drop-dead wine. Is this the greatest Calon Segur EVER? I say.... YES. Ever. YES!!!! Is this a wine the great experts would debate about? Johnny, if you are out there, I love you man, I LOVE like EVERy one of your movies, my man. What is your favorite vintage? What could POSSIBLY surpass this? 2014 + Calon Segur = Bordeaux Perfection. I, like you, my fellow pirate, just absolutely find this to be THE point of no return.... Everyone is focused a few miles south... at the border of Lafite and Cos. Sorry, my friends.... Chateau Calon Segur has EASILY surpassed Lynch Bages as my favorite wine of the Medoc. It has blown it the F#@k away. The 2014 Calon Segur offers up, like, EVERYTHING if you love traditionally styled Bordeaux in a "modern" era. First off, a note about the 2014 vintage: It is classically styled, restrained in its alcohol, an "Oxford-Cambridge" effort. Incredibly undervalued/underpriced. This wine, the 2014 Calon Segur, is midnight purple/black in color, with the slightest hint of dark, midnight ruby at the rim. Light on its feet would be an insult, but it is deep and rich without ANY sense of overbearingness. This wine will drink well now and, easily, for the next 50 years. It has a classic, Brooks Brothers blue sports coat and reserved tie, conservative New England slacks, classic, nothing-over-the-top profile. Wow, wow, wow! Stunning finish. As good as Bordeaux gets. Better than Cos, better than Lafite. In this vintage, I rate the 2014 Calon Ségur an even 100 points. It is spectacular. Absolutely brilliant. I am so happy to have like 28 more bottles in my cellar. This 2014 vintage is nothing short of amazing. Rating: 100 points.
www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com
Additional observations:
For me, Nicola, this is Bordeaux perfection. I realize that it is all about individual taste and experience. I can easily see how somebody else could say, what the heck is this guy talking about? For me, this wine provides that perfect combination of depth, class, thrill, fruit combined with reserve, balance, a nose to die for but nothing over the top, age worthiness but drinkable in its adolescence, roses and flowers and summer petals, it has depth and strength in the far reaches of your taste buds but it expresses a summer beach elegance and breed of a Maine ocean cove, or something in a late summer frolic in the Hamptons. It is Harvard and Yale and yet something that country lawyers like me and pirates like Johnny Depp could comprehend. And then you factor in the 2014 Bordeaux vintage. Greatest ever? I’m telling you guys, don’t rule it out, in many ways it rivals 2016. The 2014 Calon Segur for me, in this place and time, is a perfect, 100 point wine.
To me, it is a perfect Bordeaux. It has a depth, class, balance, the vintage as a whole has a freshness and “purity” that has been unparalleled since the golden decade of the ‘80s. It has great energy now but will improve and become something different for decades. The 2014 Calon Segur, of course, was a BWE wine of the year. Again, not everyone will rate this 100 points, this is as much a style handicap as anything else. I think Gerry and I got this for something like $65 in New Hampshire, I want to say maybe even less, was it like $58 on sale, did you keep track, Gerry? For me, it is stunning.
Calon Segur in the St Estephe is noticeably weaker than the top 2. Elegant, hint of mushroom, hint of graphite, tannin and acidity are in check. By itself, I think I would like it a lot more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
In the nose intense, slightly sharp notes of graphite and concrete in an interplay with blue / dark fruits and cherries. On the palate a distinct bitter theme with greenish notes (broccoli, green cabbage, some mushrooms) which is followed by viscous, sweet, fat fruit with a bit of liquorice. Not quite in balance. 91 pts.
On the next day significantly more harmonic with a heavy, more fruit forward scent plus tar. On the palate also much rounder, still quite tannic of course and with a very long sappy sweet finish. 93 pts.
There is a lot of aroma and potential (95++) packed into this one, but to my taste, the lush and restrained taste components do not harmonize (yet). For comparison, the 2010 vintage is much better integrated at this point. My recommendation would be to hold for at least another five years or to decant extensively if to be enjoyed now.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tried on a whim expecting it to be shut down. Wrong. While very young and primary the tannins were not overly dominant and the fruit shown thru nicely. This is definately a highlight of the vintage.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine begins an intermediate phase of reduction, giving it notes of leather, with still salient tannin and less finesse than at birth. Absolutely wait
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 3 hours. Dense, thick and incredibly rich. Chocolate, plums, a tad green (surprisingly), full bodied, tannic with a finish that never seems to end. Hints at being something quite special, but this needs considerable time. 7 years ++ at an absolute minimum. Day 3 and this has settled down and come into its stride, much more balanced - blueberries and leather. Beautiful.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vin magnifique actuellement, après carafage de 4-5 heures.(95-96) Meilleur que le Las Cases 2014 (94-95) gouté en même temps. Super rapport qualité-prix
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Calon macht in diesem Jahr einen weiteren Schritt in Richtung modernes Bordeaux. Dieser ist wohldosiert, denn das ist ein klassischer Saint-Estephe aus einem klassischem Jahrgang.Viel dunkle Frucht und reife Kirschen im Mix mit typischen Orangenzesten und röstigen Noten. Da kommt jetzt schon Tiefe auf, gleichzeitig ist hier alles auf weitere Flaschenreife ausgelegt. Mineralische Kühle im langen Nachhall. Jeden Cent wert. Geduld wird sich auszahlen. 94+ 2026-2044
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Re-tasted yesterday with my friends. Intense and beautiful color. Intense, complex, deep nose with a note of ripe and fresh fruit. Full-bodied on the attack, suave and deep in development, with taste, body in the mid-palate and an unrolling with a refined touch, this wine rises in power to finish deep on a fine grain. Definitely 2014 is a better year than 2015 for the Saint-Estephe. 96-97
Bright opaque purple. Nose of mint, eucalyptus, blackberry, blueberry and green pepper. Fairly tannic and gritty tannin at palate entry. followed by grape stem, preserved plum, leather, mint, basil and candied cherry. Medium long finish of savory preserved plum, eucalyptus, leather and dry tannin. Unresolved tannin still need time to integrate, good structure and acidity, but a bit too alcoholic. Try again in a few years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just Wow! This is still an infant but it is so balanced it is still extremely enjoyable now. Decanted for two hours and enjoyed with filet mignon and cheezy potatoes. The tannins are there but not overly harsh. The fat from the meat and cheese cut through the tannin and let the fruit shine through. I'm so happy to have over a case of this and can only imagine how good the 2016 will be. I'll try to hold off another 5 years before having again but boy it will be tough.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fruits are hidden and acidity is high at first. After 4 hours in the decanter, tannin has soften and the wine becomes more approachable. Deep and complex dark fruits aromas like fresh plums and cassis, with a bit of wet soil. It is not the most concentrated 2014 Bordeaux I've tasted, but the balance suggests that there should be at least three years before every elements come together.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 7 hrs. A tad bit of funk on the nose eased up about an 1hr in the decanter, otherwise the nose was elegant and providing all the necessary aromatics one requires ala Left Bank. I agree with the general assertion that is a more accessible Calon than years past, dark berry fruit is both vivid and playful, great freshness, gravel tones, the lot. Yet, this is still a Calon Segur, with big, brawny tannins that impose its will, medium acidity, and a slight leafy touch on the finish. Needs years. I love wines such as Calon that do work to make the process a tad easier for early satisfaction but at zero compromise to their inherent DNA. Well done. I hope to get some 16’s.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
66 CS, 13 CF, 19 M, 2 PV, raised in 100% new oak for 20 months.
Almost pitch black at the core. Deep aubergine skin color.
Aromatics of smoke, cinnamon bark, freshly crushed blackberry.
Aristocratic, refined tannin but definitely substantial. medium plus acidity, dark fruits, candied cherry, extremely long on the woodsy notes. Big fruit finish.
This is a mouth-staining wine at this stage. Lots of stuffing. Big potential. I still reserve my judgement because right now it is not a thoroughly enjoyable experience, at least not as my past experience with this venerable estate. 89++
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby in colour. Expressive, featuring damson plum, black cherry and hefty black currant aromas. Firmly textured with tannins having a bit of a bite. Powerful and harmonious.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has beautiful, bright fruit with great density and impressive length. It is obviously young and the oak stands out a bit now but should integrate nicely over time. I would think 8 - 10 years from vintage is probably the right time to start on these. 94+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rocking vintage for Calon-Segur. A no-doubter from the first sip. Deep inky blackberry fruit accented with pencil shavings, saturating and slick enough that you barely even feel the tannins. But it has the classic clenched grip of cabernet sauvignon and it gets its structure as much from this tensile sensation as anything else. Despite the intensity of its flavors it's lithe and even slender in form.
Perfect cork. Medium to full bodied. This was a big, bold, and bracing wine. Crushed berry and slate aromas, deep and dark ruby color, dry and dark fruit on the palate with mineral, very smooth but grippy tannins. Long finish.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed over 2 days (vacuvined), note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, black currant, anise, saddle leather, and hints of smoke. Palate: Medium-full bodied, dark fruit and spice attack, solid acidic back-bone, good mid-palate persistence, earth and smokiness appear in the back-end and linger through a lengthy 30-45 second finish. Showing lots of promise tonight with just a little youthful harshness on the edges. 92+
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I 2014-årgangen er drueblenden 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% merlot, 7% Cabernet franc og 2% Petit Verdot. Vinen modnes på barriques i 20 måneder, derav 30% på nye fat.
Vinens farge er mørkere lilla kjerne med en lysere kant.
På nese finnes store parfymerte lilla bær, med et spisst krydder som sitter godt fast. Også noe anmimalske toner samt et tydelig røykpreg.
Vinen er middels + konsentret med stor frukt som brer seg godt rundt i munnen. Vinen mangler kanskje litt på midtpartiet. Tanninene er tilsteværende, men de klær vinen gjort. I vinen finner du mørke bjørnebær, solbær, røyk, litt lær og noe krydder på en lang og flott utgang.
Dette er en balansert og god vin.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Deep dark plum, blackberry, earth, spice and florals. Giving so much already. Palate: Silky, yet not overly polished, with great black cherry, blackberry, spice and earthy elements. A bit creamy but certainly not overdone. Finish: Deep black fruit that is layered beautifully and leaves a lingering perfume that is beautiful.
Coravin pour in release tasting. Popped the rest of the bottle and decanted 4-hours. Sensational evolution.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second chateau visited in my Bordeaux tour - Calon Segur. Ruby purple color with slight brown, and with a soft floral notes. Strong first fruity taste, with medium tannins and long linger. Green earthy, barnyard flavours coming through.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice, this one will be great in the future but right now it needs lots of air or 5-8 more years in the bottle. Massive cassis, vanilla and wood on the palate. After 2 hours it began to open up. Hold your bottles, future potential 95+ in my opinion.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop n pour.. 375ml bt.. lots of gravel, cassis, subtle oak dark berries and just a slight hint of VA.. smells like bordeaux :) Big wine mouth filling with pretty good acidity.. Def not jammy but a big boy.. Long dry finish.. looking forward to my case over the next 10-15 yrs
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Whoa, this is some serious young juice. Smells and looks like a barrel sample but wide open and easy to appreciate right now. The nose is all New World with big, creamy ripeness and new oak. The palate is much more old world, with beaucoup tannins and some welcome bitter chocolate to balance the smooth, ripe fruit. Remarkably svelte at this stage. With air, the tannins come on strong and start to clamp down on the gregariousness. Would be a great Steakhouse wine, one to drink when the oakbombs get old. Got my attention and will only improve. 92+ pts.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smokey and sweet red fruited nose that has great purity accented by floral notes. Really nice nose. Palate is sweet open and delicious, tannins just barely balance the fruit. This is really good. 93++
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
At BBR Bordeaux 2014. Generous fruit both on the nose and on the palate, Very young, fruity, primary wine with fine ripe tannins. This should become much much better with time. Give it at least 10y. 91-94p range.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really not very St Estephe in style - lovely rich fruit on the nose, very ripe and concentrated. Fresh, generous, intense and vibrant. Really well balanced. Persistent finish. One of the very best red 2014s at this tasting. 93-94+
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vibrant red rim with a dark core. Nose, instant generous ripe fruits and rose petals jump from the glass. In the mouth, red cherries, raspberries, sea shells, and spices dance along the palate. With silky tannins, excellent purity and texture. Long and focused finished. Shows class and finesse. So juicy, like biting into an apple. Love it! This is a wine to buy. Recent investments and smart direction under the newer ownership is making this beloved property better than ever. More approachable these days in its youth, this is still a wine to cellar for 15-25+ years. It’s going to be tough to wait with its beautiful fruit! A classic. Tasted 3 times with consistent notes.A tentative blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 13% cabernet franc, and 2% petit verdot. 94/95
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fans of the older, strict-style wine previously produced at this estate might be scratching their heads but I loved it! It is a rich, dense, fat and well-dressed grande dame of a wine with layers of sweet, ripe, juicy black fruits, supple, polished tannins and outstanding concentration. The plum-filled finish is long and clean, fresh, round and sweet. Produced from a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13.8% alcohol with a pH of 3.70. Laurent Dufau has clearly upped the ante in the competition for the best wine in the appellation and the best is yet to come! 93-95 Pts
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/13/2024 - Zweder Likes this wine: 95 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends (@ PdV): Dark berries and smoke in the bouquet. On the palate a sweet start with vanilla, well dosed oak, firm acidity and sticky tannin. A lot of sweet impressions. The wine is still in its infant stage but already delicious. 94 - 95+
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2024 - racerchris Likes this wine: 95 Points
The godfather (donjcorleone) speaks for me. :)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2024 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 94 Points
2 hour double decant and this revealed deep, dark aromas of blackberry, plum, cedar and tobacco leaf which led to a fresh, ripe, dark red fruited and earthy textured palate that faded effortlessly. 94+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2024 - up4wine wrote: 92 Points
Maybe more bottle age could help, but I found this to be delightful right now.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2024 - Gdubya Likes this wine: 95 Points
Road testing new Zalto glasses. Initially a Coravin pour, but the cork came out later (which might tell a story) and briefly in a decanter. Nice wine, wonderful nose. Good tension, medium+ bodied, black fruit, tannins feel more resolved.
Perhaps entering “the zone”? 94-96 for me
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2023 - Leroy de Hove Likes this wine: 93 Points
2 hour decant, but this baby needs to sleep a lot longer. It’s got stunning qualities but it’s still very tight and the tannins need at least 5 years to resolve.
Very glad to have more of it, though. I suspect this will deserve 95 points in time.
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2023 - jmoon Likes this wine:
Regrettably I was in no condition to make any considered judgement on this wine. Seemed good enough but not great and still a bit young. A clear head and a decant would have helped.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2023 - ledocq Likes this wine:
This is terrific - to my taste, it benefits from a two hour decant but it's certainly approachable before that.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2023 - ChristoBretts Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted and drank over two days. Medium body. Already nice aroma of blackberry compote, dark chocolate, some tar. Plenty of fruit in the mouth, cedar and smoke, grainy tannins and already somewhat soft, medium acidity. A bit more elegant than the 2005 I recently had - this likely a function of vintage and age. I see very high scores for the 2014s - perhaps an attempt at predicting what is to come? Overall, very nice now (92), and very likely better in 3-5 years.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2023 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 97 Points
Superb nose, on raspberry liqueur. Ample and fleshy, it offers a magnificent volume in the mouth and expresses a real density with a finely "powdered" tannin and a texture of great nobility. More earthy but undoubtedly much more sensual than Las-Cases, One of the greatest 2014 with Lafleur and Petrus
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2022 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 1 hr. Very floral aroma upon decanting. On palate, blackberry with spice, leather, cedar, and some funk which blew off in glass. Can drink now since tannins are soft. Nice acidity. Long finish.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2022 - HeavyPourWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought the bottle and decanted 20 minutes at Rathbun Steak in Atlanta. Surprisingly open and very giving after the short decant. Hypnotic nose and very fruit forward. Perfect pairing w/ Ribeye cap and (fancy) mac n cheese. My last bottle - sadness. '14 is such an underrated vintage across the board in Bordeaux IMO! Ran out the next day to find more '14 and couldn't - but was able to find and grab some of the '16 as notes show it may be even better than the '14! Brad - heavypourwine.com
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
9/25/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Full-bodied, rich, spicy, intense, long, and captivating, the wine grabs you with its spicy fruits, cedar, tobacco leaf, red plums, blackberry, and floral nuances. Still youthful, yet approachable due to its structure and softness in the tannins, you can enjoy this now, if you like more primary notes, or age it as it is going to develop complexities over the years. The wine blends 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2050.
9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2022 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 96 Points
I was extremely impressed by Calor-Ségur 2014 both at the „en primeur“ as well as at the „arrivage“ tasting and this is the first time checking in on it since then.
Deep purple color. First slightly holding back, but opening up beautifully with about an hour in the decanter. Beautifully layered, deep and complex, but with that undeniable 2014 classicism and freshness, it‘s showing notes of black cherries, cassis, but also some red fruit with pomegranate, violets, some orange zest, leather, tobacco leaf, crushed stone minerality, also some black olive. Very complex even at this early stage. It‘s medium-full bodied, with superb mid-palate persistence and weight, it has pretty high acidity and medium-high tannin that is extremely silky and ripe. Super long finish. I can‘t wait to see how this will age… for me probably the best Calon-Ségur to date (2014)… (96+)
12 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
2/14/2022 - JimHow Likes this wine: 100 Points
2014 Calon Segur
This is a stunning, stunning, STUNNING wine. This is a drop-dead wine. Is this the greatest Calon Segur EVER? I say.... YES. Ever. YES!!!! Is this a wine the great experts would debate about? Johnny, if you are out there, I love you man, I LOVE like EVERy one of your movies, my man. What is your favorite vintage? What could POSSIBLY surpass this? 2014 + Calon Segur = Bordeaux Perfection. I, like you, my fellow pirate, just absolutely find this to be THE point of no return.... Everyone is focused a few miles south... at the border of Lafite and Cos. Sorry, my friends.... Chateau Calon Segur has EASILY surpassed Lynch Bages as my favorite wine of the Medoc. It has blown it the F#@k away. The 2014 Calon Segur offers up, like, EVERYTHING if you love traditionally styled Bordeaux in a "modern" era. First off, a note about the 2014 vintage: It is classically styled, restrained in its alcohol, an "Oxford-Cambridge" effort. Incredibly undervalued/underpriced. This wine, the 2014 Calon Segur, is midnight purple/black in color, with the slightest hint of dark, midnight ruby at the rim. Light on its feet would be an insult, but it is deep and rich without ANY sense of overbearingness. This wine will drink well now and, easily, for the next 50 years. It has a classic, Brooks Brothers blue sports coat and reserved tie, conservative New England slacks, classic, nothing-over-the-top profile. Wow, wow, wow! Stunning finish. As good as Bordeaux gets. Better than Cos, better than Lafite. In this vintage, I rate the 2014 Calon Ségur an even 100 points. It is spectacular. Absolutely brilliant. I am so happy to have like 28 more bottles in my cellar. This 2014 vintage is nothing short of amazing. Rating: 100 points.
www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com
Additional observations:
For me, Nicola, this is Bordeaux perfection. I realize that it is all about individual taste and experience. I can easily see how somebody else could say, what the heck is this guy talking about? For me, this wine provides that perfect combination of depth, class, thrill, fruit combined with reserve, balance, a nose to die for but nothing over the top, age worthiness but drinkable in its adolescence, roses and flowers and summer petals, it has depth and strength in the far reaches of your taste buds but it expresses a summer beach elegance and breed of a Maine ocean cove, or something in a late summer frolic in the Hamptons. It is Harvard and Yale and yet something that country lawyers like me and pirates like Johnny Depp could comprehend. And then you factor in the 2014 Bordeaux vintage. Greatest ever? I’m telling you guys, don’t rule it out, in many ways it rivals 2016. The 2014 Calon Segur for me, in this place and time, is a perfect, 100 point wine.
To me, it is a perfect Bordeaux.
It has a depth, class, balance, the vintage as a whole has a freshness and “purity” that has been unparalleled since the golden decade of the ‘80s. It has great energy now but will improve and become something different for decades.
The 2014 Calon Segur, of course, was a BWE wine of the year.
Again, not everyone will rate this 100 points, this is as much a style handicap as anything else.
I think Gerry and I got this for something like $65 in New Hampshire, I want to say maybe even less, was it like $58 on sale, did you keep track, Gerry?
For me, it is stunning.
www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com
9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/4/2021 - KAT9 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Calon Segur in the St Estephe is noticeably weaker than the top 2. Elegant, hint of mushroom, hint of graphite, tannin and acidity are in check. By itself, I think I would like it a lot more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2021 - Ramonee Confit Likes this wine: 97 Points
Bu mon avant dernière bouteille ier soir, toujours magnifique de pureté et de longueur
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2021 - Jumbo-Jet Likes this wine: 92 Points
In the nose intense, slightly sharp notes of graphite and concrete in an interplay with blue / dark fruits and cherries. On the palate a distinct bitter theme with greenish notes (broccoli, green cabbage, some mushrooms) which is followed by viscous, sweet, fat fruit with a bit of liquorice. Not quite in balance. 91 pts.
On the next day significantly more harmonic with a heavy, more fruit forward scent plus tar. On the palate also much rounder, still quite tannic of course and with a very long sappy sweet finish. 93 pts.
There is a lot of aroma and potential (95++) packed into this one, but to my taste, the lush and restrained taste components do not harmonize (yet). For comparison, the 2010 vintage is much better integrated at this point. My recommendation would be to hold for at least another five years or to decant extensively if to be enjoyed now.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2021 - SPLJEG Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2020 - g-man wrote: 94 Points
Tried on a whim expecting it to be shut down. Wrong. While very young and primary the tannins were not overly dominant and the fruit shown thru nicely. This is definately a highlight of the vintage.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2020 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 97 Points
The wine begins an intermediate phase of reduction, giving it notes of leather, with still salient tannin and less finesse than at birth. Absolutely wait
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2020 - Ianjaig Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Dense, thick and incredibly rich. Chocolate, plums, a tad green (surprisingly), full bodied, tannic with a finish that never seems to end. Hints at being something quite special, but this needs considerable time. 7 years ++ at an absolute minimum.
Day 3 and this has settled down and come into its stride, much more balanced - blueberries and leather. Beautiful.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2020 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 97 Points
Definitely my favorite great wine for the value for money, drank one of my last 4 bottles last night with a leg of lamb with garlic.
Unforgettable!
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2020 - happy712 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Magnifique
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2020 - Ramonee Confit wrote: 96 Points
Vin magnifique actuellement, après carafage de 4-5 heures.(95-96)
Meilleur que le Las Cases 2014 (94-95) gouté en même temps.
Super rapport qualité-prix
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2020 - Mali Likes this wine: 94 Points
Calon macht in diesem Jahr einen weiteren Schritt in Richtung modernes Bordeaux. Dieser ist wohldosiert, denn das ist ein klassischer Saint-Estephe aus einem klassischem Jahrgang.Viel dunkle Frucht und reife Kirschen im Mix mit typischen Orangenzesten und röstigen Noten. Da kommt jetzt schon Tiefe auf, gleichzeitig ist hier alles auf weitere Flaschenreife ausgelegt. Mineralische Kühle im langen Nachhall. Jeden Cent wert. Geduld wird sich auszahlen. 94+ 2026-2044
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2020 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 97 Points
Re-tasted yesterday with my friends. Intense and beautiful color. Intense, complex, deep nose with a note of ripe and fresh fruit. Full-bodied on the attack, suave and deep in development, with taste, body in the mid-palate and an unrolling with a refined touch, this wine rises in power to finish deep on a fine grain. Definitely 2014 is a better year than 2015 for the Saint-Estephe. 96-97
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
4/25/2020 - wihong wrote: 90 Points
Bright opaque purple. Nose of mint, eucalyptus, blackberry, blueberry and green pepper. Fairly tannic and gritty tannin at palate entry. followed by grape stem, preserved plum, leather, mint, basil and candied cherry. Medium long finish of savory preserved plum, eucalyptus, leather and dry tannin. Unresolved tannin still need time to integrate, good structure and acidity, but a bit too alcoholic. Try again in a few years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2020 - watcheslover Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow too, each time tasted, each time better!
I'm impatient to taste the 3 wonder together (2018-2016-2014)
Top quality for price
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2020 - g-man wrote: 94 Points
Just Wow! This is still an infant but it is so balanced it is still extremely enjoyable now. Decanted for two hours and enjoyed with filet mignon and cheezy potatoes. The tannins are there but not overly harsh. The fat from the meat and cheese cut through the tannin and let the fruit shine through. I'm so happy to have over a case of this and can only imagine how good the 2016 will be. I'll try to hold off another 5 years before having again but boy it will be tough.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2020 - Gdubya Likes this wine: 94 Points
Young. Good fruit. Slightly drying tannins.
Double decantered and drunk after an hour or so and over the next 3h.
Lovely and upside. 93-94pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2019 - 83Vintage wrote: 94 Points
Cigar, mint, dark at the core with a freshness and lift, showing complex and depth, earth, long finish. Really good.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2019 - Krakonos wrote: 96 Points
Wow !
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2019 - ETT95 wrote: 91 Points
Fruits are hidden and acidity is high at first. After 4 hours in the decanter, tannin has soften and the wine becomes more approachable. Deep and complex dark fruits aromas like fresh plums and cassis, with a bit of wet soil. It is not the most concentrated 2014 Bordeaux I've tasted, but the balance suggests that there should be at least three years before every elements come together.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2019 - Dale M wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 7 hrs. A tad bit of funk on the nose eased up about an 1hr in the decanter, otherwise the nose was elegant and providing all the necessary aromatics one requires ala Left Bank. I agree with the general assertion that is a more accessible Calon than years past, dark berry fruit is both vivid and playful, great freshness, gravel tones, the lot. Yet, this is still a Calon Segur, with big, brawny tannins that impose its will, medium acidity, and a slight leafy touch on the finish. Needs years. I love wines such as Calon that do work to make the process a tad easier for early satisfaction but at zero compromise to their inherent DNA. Well done. I hope to get some 16’s.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2018 - SonnyChiba wrote: 92 Points
92+. Already very nice with good potential. Well balanced and smooth finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2018 - racerchris Likes this wine:
Decanted, started out rather disjointed. Took about 4 hours to reach full expression. Very youthful, will take many years to mature.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2018 - NarunP wrote: 89 Points
66 CS, 13 CF, 19 M, 2 PV, raised in 100% new oak for 20 months.
Almost pitch black at the core. Deep aubergine skin color.
Aromatics of smoke, cinnamon bark, freshly crushed blackberry.
Aristocratic, refined tannin but definitely substantial. medium plus acidity, dark fruits, candied cherry, extremely long on the woodsy notes. Big fruit finish.
This is a mouth-staining wine at this stage. Lots of stuffing. Big potential. I still reserve my judgement because right now it is not a thoroughly enjoyable experience, at least not as my past experience with this venerable estate. 89++
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2018 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby in colour. Expressive, featuring damson plum, black cherry and hefty black currant aromas. Firmly textured with tannins having a bit of a bite. Powerful and harmonious.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2018 - signotim Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has beautiful, bright fruit with great density and impressive length. It is obviously young and the oak stands out a bit now but should integrate nicely over time. I would think 8 - 10 years from vintage is probably the right time to start on these. 94+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2018 - racerchris Likes this wine: 94 Points
I was impressed by the fruity aroma which filled the room when I decanted the bottle.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
1/12/2018 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 96 Points
Rocking vintage for Calon-Segur. A no-doubter from the first sip. Deep inky blackberry fruit accented with pencil shavings, saturating and slick enough that you barely even feel the tannins. But it has the classic clenched grip of cabernet sauvignon and it gets its structure as much from this tensile sensation as anything else. Despite the intensity of its flavors it's lithe and even slender in form.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
12/31/2017 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfect cork. Medium to full bodied. This was a big, bold, and bracing wine. Crushed berry and slate aromas, deep and dark ruby color, dry and dark fruit on the palate with mineral, very smooth but grippy tannins. Long finish.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2017 - prasm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed over 2 days (vacuvined), note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, black currant, anise, saddle leather, and hints of smoke. Palate: Medium-full bodied, dark fruit and spice attack, solid acidic back-bone, good mid-palate persistence, earth and smokiness appear in the back-end and linger through a lengthy 30-45 second finish. Showing lots of promise tonight with just a little youthful harshness on the edges. 92+
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2017 - Andre Brattland wrote: 93 Points
I 2014-årgangen er drueblenden 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% merlot, 7% Cabernet franc og 2% Petit Verdot. Vinen modnes på barriques i 20 måneder, derav 30% på nye fat.
Vinens farge er mørkere lilla kjerne med en lysere kant.
På nese finnes store parfymerte lilla bær, med et spisst krydder som sitter godt fast. Også noe anmimalske toner samt et tydelig røykpreg.
Vinen er middels + konsentret med stor frukt som brer seg godt rundt i munnen. Vinen mangler kanskje litt på midtpartiet. Tanninene er tilsteværende, men de klær vinen gjort. I vinen finner du mørke bjørnebær, solbær, røyk, litt lær og noe krydder på en lang og flott utgang.
Dette er en balansert og god vin.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2017 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 94 Points
Zachy's Extravaganza (Longview Gallery - Washington, DC): Still very young with strong grip, medium acid, tart currants, laced with sage, earth pepper. Impressive depth and concentration for the cellar.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2017 - markricardo Likes this wine: 95 Points
I pretty much agree with ROCKINCAB's tasting notes. This wine is very young but shows exceptional promises.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
6/11/2017 - RockinCabs wrote: 95 Points
Nose: Deep dark plum, blackberry, earth, spice and florals. Giving so much already. Palate: Silky, yet not overly polished, with great black cherry, blackberry, spice and earthy elements. A bit creamy but certainly not overdone. Finish: Deep black fruit that is layered beautifully and leaves a lingering perfume that is beautiful.
Coravin pour in release tasting. Popped the rest of the bottle and decanted 4-hours. Sensational evolution.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2017 - ShangGuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Second chateau visited in my Bordeaux tour - Calon Segur. Ruby purple color with slight brown, and with a soft floral notes. Strong first fruity taste, with medium tannins and long linger. Green earthy, barnyard flavours coming through.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2017 - DrZett wrote: 93 Points
Nice, this one will be great in the future but right now it needs lots of air or 5-8 more years in the bottle. Massive cassis, vanilla and wood on the palate. After 2 hours it began to open up. Hold your bottles, future potential 95+ in my opinion.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2017 - beachdude8977 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pop n pour.. 375ml bt.. lots of gravel, cassis, subtle oak dark berries and just a slight hint of VA.. smells like bordeaux :) Big wine mouth filling with pretty good acidity.. Def not jammy but a big boy.. Long dry finish.. looking forward to my case over the next 10-15 yrs
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2017 - blanquito wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Whoa, this is some serious young juice. Smells and looks like a barrel sample but wide open and easy to appreciate right now. The nose is all New World with big, creamy ripeness and new oak. The palate is much more old world, with beaucoup tannins and some welcome bitter chocolate to balance the smooth, ripe fruit. Remarkably svelte at this stage. With air, the tannins come on strong and start to clamp down on the gregariousness. Would be a great Steakhouse wine, one to drink when the oakbombs get old. Got my attention and will only improve. 92+ pts.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2017 - PC73 wrote:
Bit too try hard.
V tannic on finish
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2017 - pnwskibum wrote: 93 Points
Smokey and sweet red fruited nose that has great purity accented by floral notes. Really nice nose. Palate is sweet open and delicious, tannins just barely balance the fruit. This is really good. 93++
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2015 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
At BBR Bordeaux 2014.
Generous fruit both on the nose and on the palate, Very young, fruity, primary wine with fine ripe tannins. This should become much much better with time. Give it at least 10y. 91-94p range.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 94 Points
Really not very St Estephe in style - lovely rich fruit on the nose, very ripe and concentrated. Fresh, generous, intense and vibrant. Really well balanced. Persistent finish. One of the very best red 2014s at this tasting. 93-94+
10 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2015 - edub7 wrote: 95 Points
Vibrant red rim with a dark core. Nose, instant generous ripe fruits and rose petals jump from the glass. In the mouth, red cherries, raspberries, sea shells, and spices dance along the palate. With silky tannins, excellent purity and texture. Long and focused finished. Shows class and finesse. So juicy, like biting into an apple. Love it! This is a wine to buy. Recent investments and smart direction under the newer ownership is making this beloved property better than ever. More approachable these days in its youth, this is still a wine to cellar for 15-25+ years. It’s going to be tough to wait with its beautiful fruit! A classic. Tasted 3 times with consistent notes.A tentative blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 13% cabernet franc, and 2% petit verdot.
94/95
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Fans of the older, strict-style wine previously produced at this estate might be scratching their heads but I loved it! It is a rich, dense, fat and well-dressed grande dame of a wine with layers of sweet, ripe, juicy black fruits, supple, polished tannins and outstanding concentration. The plum-filled finish is long and clean, fresh, round and sweet. Produced from a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13.8% alcohol with a pH of 3.70. Laurent Dufau has clearly upped the ante in the competition for the best wine in the appellation and the best is yet to come! 93-95 Pts
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment