2021 Château Calon-Ségur, Cru Classé St-Estèphe

Tasting the 2021 Calon Ségur out of barrel, I opined that there was a gulf in quality between it and the Le Marquis, and that remains the case since it was bottled in mid-July. This has an absolutely exquisite, beautifully defined bouquet that possesses an almost Burgundy-like purity. Blackberry, raspberry coulis and hints of crushed strawberry blossom in the glass, very focused with seamlessly integrated new oak that is impossible to tell is completely new. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, modest weight and a very smooth texture—perhaps not quite as enthralling as the aromatics, though it is pure and, atypically for this Saint-Estèphe, quite sensual in style. Maybe it is missing just a touch of complexity on the finish, but otherwise, this is a very capable wine that should age with grace over the next 25 to 30 years.

A Saint-Estèphe of stature and vertical intensity, the 2021 Calon Ségur dazzles from the very first taste. Spice, menthol, licorice, black cherry, mint and espresso are some of the many notes that build with a bit of coaxing. The 2021 clocks in at a modest 12.9% in alcohol, yet it possesses tremendous density and textural resonance. What a wine! Tasted two times.

Revisited in bottle, the 2021 Calon-Ségur opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries mingled with aromas of violets, pencil shavings, lilac, Indian spices, cigar wrapper and grilled meats. Medium to full-bodied, dense and suave, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a penetratingly sapid and discreetly carnal finish, it appears to have lost a touch of aromatic precision during élevage, but it remains a compelling Calon-Ségur.