Tonight, The 2011 Chateau Calon Ségur was...

[Nicklasss]

Kind of glorious. Very young, traditionnal style red Bordeaux, like Comte Flaneur like them I guess.

Dark color, complex nose, but not full power yet (too young), with red currants, darkberries, blackpepper, green pepper (a seductive light touch of it), noble oak and cedar. In mouth, Very Nice balance, attack on red cherries, berries and currants, with a dense tannic midpalate of blackcurrants, oak, with good freshness. Final is long on noble oak, light vanilla, more darkberries and light ashes/coal. Not a powerfull young wine, but more a medium to excellent concentration wine, with complexity and depth. A solid 92 for me. This should age nicely, over 15 years. A classic red Bordeaux, like we would like to find them more often.

I think is clearly better than the Very good 2008, but let me expect the best for the 2009-2010 that i did not tasted yet.

Nic

[JimHow]

Let's face it, Calon Segur is just a consistently excellent estate.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Johnny Depp's favorite everyday Bordeaux.

[AKR]

http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/johnn ... ine-95453/

I had not known that about Depp. How far he has come from 21 Jump St.

To me, it's an estate that takes a long time to come around.

I think we had the 82 with Stefan a few years ago at Bills place which was nice.

[stefan]

The '82 was indeed a fine example.

Calon Segur has long been our "go to" St Estephe because it traditionally has had a great QPR and in some years is better than Montrose and Cos Estournel. Unfortunately, currently it is not a bargain luxury wine.

[Comte Flaneur]

Nice one Nic and happy new year!

If it is better than the splendid 2008 it is indeed a special wine.

Coincidentally, I am just about to pull the cork on the 1970 Calon Segur one of the stars of one of Jacques's summer pool parties in Chappaqua a few moons ago!

And happy new year to all BWE

I am salivating like one of Pavlov's dogs waiting to learn of BD's choice for BWE woty 2015...

[Comte Flaneur]

Wines on the block for New Year's Eve

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[JimHow]

I'm in South Beach for New Year's Eve weekend Ian so it will take me an extra couple days to announce the 2015 BWE Wine of the Year, but I can represent to you that the decision has been made....
Happy New Year!
BD

[Nicklasss]

Nice set of wines Comte. For me today, i will bring two bottles of the 2013 Faiveley Mercurey La Framboisiere and a bottle of Champagne Fleury bio Fleur de l'Europe, to a family lunch.

Jim, make no mistake with your choice of The BWE WOTY.

Nic

[Chateau Vin]

Maybe Jim,

You can make it a tradition to announce WOTY on New Years Day...

[stefan]

For us it will be Bordeaux for sure. Maybe a Lynch-Bages and a Ducru. Probably we'll not drink very much as last night we had 7 bottles for six people, some of whom are light drinkers.

We found two nice NV sparklers. Last night Tassin Blanc de Blancs impressed us. It is one of the best entry level BdB we have drunk. Today Charles de Casanova Brut Rose went very well with our lunch of black eyed peas and corn bread. Later we'll visit NV Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs.

[Nicklasss]

Jim, this is what I thought about the 2011 Chateau Calon Ségur, 10 months ago.

Nic

[JimHow]

Mmmm Calon Segur is becoming one of my favorite wines, I'm planning on buying a case of the 2015 at $75 per bottle.
I wonder what the 2011 goes for in the U.S.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

I don't think HWSRN was much enamored of the style. Grudgingly he gave it its due, because Calon Segur. But no 100 point scores, now or ever. Maybe he'd lost his taste for classic Bordeaux, in the same sense others lose their taste for aged Bordeaux.

[Racer Chris]

I wonder what the 2011 goes for in the U.S.

Available to me locally for $72/bottle. (95pts, WE)

These vintages are shown on the TW website as available in Manchester, CT:
1995, 2000, 2005, 2009,'10,'11,'12,'13
The '13 is at $67.48, with a 97 point WE review attached.

[JimHow]

Good to know Chris thanks. I need to get more Calon Segur in my cellar.

[Racer Chris]

Good to know Chris thanks. I need to get more Calon Segur in my cellar.

I should contact Merryvale to cancel my club subscription and use that money to buy wines like these instead.
I've been spending enough in California to buy a case of 3rd growth Bordeaux per year.

[dstgolf]

Chris,

Shocking that Calon Segur produced a 97 pointer in such a tough vintage. We tasted nothing on our tour in 2015 from the vintage that seemed remotely palatable. Personally I've written off 2013 but I've been fooled before. If the review of the 2013 CS is correct could be the wine of the vintage!!

[stefan]

I drank a 2003 Calon Segur last night with flat iron steak. The slightly burned but sweet fruit in this concentrated wine complements the grilled steak very well. Easily worth 91+.

[Racer Chris]

Chris,

Shocking that Calon Segur produced a 97 pointer in such a tough vintage. We tasted nothing on our tour in 2015 from the vintage that seemed remotely palatable. Personally I've written off 2013 but I've been fooled before. If the review of the 2013 CS is correct could be the wine of the vintage!!

I agree, that's why I mentioned it, especially since it's higher than the 2011.

92% Cabernet, 13.1% abv.

There are 6 notes in Cellartracker averaging 91 points.
Jeff Leve gave it 90 points last May.
Here's one comment in another note, "A likely standout in this underwhelming vintage and priced right (imho) at 64.99."

It actually isn't available in the Manchester store but is in West Hartford and Norwalk.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

WE=Wine Enthusiast: says it all.

[Racer Chris]

WE=Wine Enthusiast: says it all.

To be fair, Jeff Leve scored the '13 higher than the '11 also.

[jckba]

While I certainly understand the love for Calon Segur, the current retail pricing for the 2011 or the 2013 is simply too high in my honest opinion. I picked up a case of the 2010 for $79.99/per btl back in early 2013 from TW in Norwalk, CT as they were still running special introductory pricing that was less than cost through other channels. So to get me to buy in an off vintage, the price would have to be about half of what I paid for the 2010 (and not current retail) so it has still got a ways to drop. As for the 97 Wine Enthusiast rating, I don't even know who reviews Bdx in their publication so that rating is but a single data point and not something I would give too much credence to judging from current cellartracker notes.

[stefan]

Two things that I dislike are generalizations about vintages and 2013 Bordeaux.

[Racer Chris]

Two things that I dislike are generalizations about vintages and 2013 Bordeaux.

Are you saying you dislike 2013 Bordeaux or you dislike generalizations about 2013 Bordeaux?

[Racer Chris]

I was in the Manchester Total Wine this morning and saw just a single bottle of 2011 in the locked cooler alongside the earlier vintages.

[JimHow]

Hmm I'm going into a big trial so I'm not gonna be down that way for another month or so.