How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

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Blanquito
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How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by Blanquito »

How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

I see this around in the auction market, but I've never had it. Good stuff, worth the tariff?

Thanks.
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JimHow
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by JimHow »

When I had it with Pappa Doc, Gio and Arv down in the financial district back in 2003 it was spectacular.
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dstgolf
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by dstgolf »

Had it about 7-8 years back and all I remember was the magical transformation. When popped this seemed DOA and my buddy said he was pouring it down the drain. I grabbed his hand for the save and asked him to decant it and put it aside to see what happens. Unusual for a 25+ y/o wine at the time but it truly showed an amazing metamorphosis!! We all around the table smelled something beautiful wafting from the decanter sitting across the far end off the table after 1 1/2 - 2 hrs and the bouquet coming from the decanter amazed/mesmerized us all. This was everything that one could hope for from a mature Bordeaux. One of the best bottles I've ever had and no question the biggest surprise of my life. Certainly a phoenix arising from the ashes and yes if you could come close to experiencing something like we did Patrick then I'd jump without question especially if you can source a bottle or two with good provenance. Hands down ....BUY but remember just pray for that good bottle!!
Danny
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JimHow
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by JimHow »

I remember Pappa Doc sourced like 3 bottles after that NYC dinner.
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AKR
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by AKR »

We had another I think with Stefan out here a couple of years ago.

It was good, but not radiant.

Personally for the same money, I'd go for a 1996 Pichon Lalande instead.

or if Calon Segur was the craving, 2003 is a good one, and has never quite caught the big bids.
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Blanquito
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by Blanquito »

Thanks for the feedback and especially Danny's great recount of a viniferous metamorphosis. Based on this thread, I decided to bid on this wine, which was languishing with no bids, but then I was promptly out bid. Oh well. I'll keep trying, but finding an 82 Calon Segur with a good fill and condition isn't easy (I see tons of it on auction with mid shoulder fills, SOS, etc.).

Here's what Parker had to say about the 1982 Calon Segur as recently as 6/2009 (with my emphasis added):
"Like Certan de May, I bought this in both half and 750 ml bottles. Only recently have the half bottles reached full maturity, and the 750 ml remains a massive, backward wine for long-term aging. A dense, opaque garnet color is followed by notes of roasted meats, herbs, black currants, incense, and damp earth. Full-bodied, still extremely tannic (sweet but noticeable tannins), rich, and backward, where perfectly stored, this 1982 will last for another 50 years. The estate has always compared it to their 1947, which is still a vibrant wine, and the 1982 should be just as profound. 94 pts"
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AKR
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by AKR »

I just question whether the bottles being bandied about today on auction are comparable to what has sat undisturbed in his Monkton cellar for a few decades.
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Blanquito
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by Blanquito »

AKR wrote:I just question whether the bottles being bandied about today on auction are comparable to what has sat undisturbed in his Monkton cellar for a few decades.
Absolutely. It is tempting to chase the white whale of a tasting note from perfectly stored, sound bottle of 1982 Bordeaux when what is on the auction market is anything but. I try to bake risk into the price and I usually only bid on pristine-looking bottles. Even doing that, sourcing old bottles can be frustrating.

P.S. I agree with you on the 96 PLL, of which I have 6-7 bottles, but I just don't find that wine ready yet (for my tastes which prefers a tertiary profile). It's funny, on CellarTracker, just when I think a wine has entered it's drinking window is often when many (but not all) posters start to say it is in decline!
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dstgolf
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by dstgolf »

RP note mentions the 82 Certan de May....wow that was a beautiful wine which in my mind was amazing 5-10 years ago. We went through 8 bottles 2000-2010. We've had a couple of bottles in the last 5 years which have seemed tired. Nose had been to die for and this was a perfect wine going down with great length,roundness and hit on all cylinders during that 10 year window. The more recent bottles out of the same case had completely fallen off the wagon in all respects. Not sure if its re entered an awkward phase(which I doubt) or is on the road to decline which I'm more inclined.

The Calon Segur at this time would concern me about being also on its downward curve at 33 y/o and it certainly had us concerned when we opened that last magical bottle but I'd love to revisit ITNOS if it could be sourced at a reasonable price and provenance could be confirmed simply based on the experience we enjoyed previously.
Danny
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Winona Chief
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by Winona Chief »

Bottles of 1982 Calon Segur in excellent condition can be quite magical. The last one I had in that category was consumed with some friends in DC 4 or 5 years ago. At a big January 2014 Calon Segur vertical in DC, only one of the four bottles was outstanding. One bottle was corked, one was oxidized and another was pretty tired. I would be careful buying this one blind.

Chris Bublitz
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Blanquito
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by Blanquito »

The one time I had the 82 Certan de May, it was tremendous.
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Blanquito
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Re: How's the 1982 Calon Segur?

Post by Blanquito »

I lost out on the 82 Calon. The bidding went way up at the last minute.

I do see a magnum of the 89 Lynch Bages currently at auction, maybe we should do a BWE Block bid on it?!
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