For JC Northway: 2016 Chateau Capbern, my muse

[Nicklasss]

I had another bottle of the 2016 Chateau Capbern, and I must say it is really a great young wine, that will age beautifully. Below, what I write about this wine on October 9th 2019, and that bottle last weekend was quite similar.

"Made by Calon Segur's team. In that 2016 vintage.

It is a gem, a superb wine of Saint Estèphe. Dark red to purple, with a very nice nose of blackcurrant çream, graphite, spices, black cherries, soil minerals. Fragrant, concentrate and pure, no perceptible oak. In mouth, excellent presence and concentration. Lot of blackcurrant and blackberry fruits, with abundant ripe and fresh tannins. Lot of blackfruit, lead pencil, long fresh finish on terroir and some herbaceous notes like thyme or vine leave. the 14 % alcohol is under control. Remind me a bit Sociando Mallet. Extremely good and i hope this wine is representative of 2016, as i can see easily it is my type of vintage. At that price, a MUST. Tn: 92. Will age gracefully."

What my old note is not saying, is that wine could be the muse of many other producers. It has that nice Saint Estephe extra body, quite long, with a purity of defined flavors, mainly on fruit, but with all kind of other things. Good amount of ripe envelopping tannins. Extremely enjoyable and satisfying now.

Nic

[JoelD]

Mine as well. Capbern is without a doubt, my favorite under $30 bottle of Bordeaux so far(maybe even sub 40 or sub 50, but that gets very hard to say). I have had a few bottles of the 2016 already. And am sad that I didn't buy more than 3 bottles of the 2014. (the 2015 was not nearly as good as either, but still very drinkable. Found it a little disjointed and overly acidic). I will probably wait until the fall to crack another of my 9 or so bottles. But this is definitely a candidate to seek out a whole case somewhere moving forward.

I am very excited or my 15 bottles of Calon Segur 2016, have not touched one yet, but may have to commit some infantcide in the fall as well. Maybe open next to a Capbern.

[JimHow]

Wow! Okay, good to know, NH has a bunch in stock, it'll be $23 on sale.
I'm hoping July is a sale month.

[Jay Winton]

Jeff Leve also a fan.

[jckba]

Nice note Nic and it is going to make me look for a bottle as I have yet to try a Capbern.

[tiesface]

Nice note Nic and thank you for the reminder.

JoelD, the 2016 Calon Segur is a stunner and can absolutely be enjoyed now. It has a fresh nose of cuban cigar and ripe fruits that is memorable and intoxcating. I think it's an outstanding wine that will be pleasurable in the short-term and evolve into a benchmark St. Estephe.

[JCNorthway]

Nic, you are an enabler. I just ordered a case of 2016 Capbern!

[JimHow]

I think this would be a good live virtual meeting wine sometime.
I'm going to buy a case without even trying it based on Nicola's note.

[Nicklasss]

I think i only have one or two bottle left. If you don't like it, i'll buy what you have left! I can see myself going through 2 cases in the next 5-7 years easily.

Unfortunately, I don't have any 2016 Calon Segur...

It is Québec National Day today. I might open a 2016 Bordeaux.

Nic

[JoelD]

Nice note Nic and thank you for the reminder.

JoelD, the 2016 Calon Segur is a stunner and can absolutely be enjoyed now. It has a fresh nose of cuban cigar and ripe fruits that is memorable and intoxcating. I think it's an outstanding wine that will be pleasurable in the short-term and evolve into a benchmark St. Estephe.

Good to hear. Do you recommend a long decant? Or think it may shut down?

[JoelD]

Nic, you are an enabler. I just ordered a case of 2016 Capbern!

JC, mind if I ask where you were able to grab this? Price/Bottle? I am currently feeling enabled as well.

[tiesface]

Nice note Nic and thank you for the reminder.

JoelD, the 2016 Calon Segur is a stunner and can absolutely be enjoyed now. It has a fresh nose of cuban cigar and ripe fruits that is memorable and intoxcating. I think it's an outstanding wine that will be pleasurable in the short-term and evolve into a benchmark St. Estephe.

Good to hear. Do you recommend a long decant? Or think it may shut down?

The last bottle I had was Feb and it was open for business to me. It would certainly benefit from a decant, but I thought it was aromatic from the initial pop n' pour.

It's possible it shuts down, but I do not see it shutting down in the next few months based on the last bottle. All of the '16s I've had have stayed accessible for the time being.

[JCNorthway]

JC, mind if I ask where you were able to grab this? Price/Bottle? I am currently feeling enabled as well.

A shop in Ann Arbor, MI called Village Corner, about an hour from where I am. List price $34.99 less 12% for case purchase. I am within their free delivery geography which made the price justifiable for me.

Disclaimer, they have not yet confirmed my order. The one other time I ordered from them, they were out of one of the wines I ordered.

[dstgolf]

Nic,

None left at the SAQ or LCBO but ordered 6 off the 2018 futures. I said that I was through buying but added this to the case of Tour St Christophe that I ordered. The only 2018 futures on order to complete my vertical from 2014. I now have more TStC than any other wine in my cellar once the 18s come in....63 bottles + 2 mags of the 2016!! I think I'll enjoy them in old age.

[jckba]

Gordon’s in MA has mags for $50.99/per —

[JoelD]

Gordon’s in MA has mags for $50.99/per —

That is very tempting, to fill out with a few mags instead of another half case or case. Have you ordered from them before? I have never ordered from MA in general because retailers there always seemed to have out of state shipping issues, even to DC which is one of the least stringent on incoming shipments.

[jckba]

Yes I have and they are a good shop that gets some of the harder to get allocations that don’t quite get gobbled up as quickly up there as in NYC area as well as some good private cellar sales. Ground shipping to my work address in CT is next day late morning delivery so it works for me 8 months of the year. I don’t know which states are on their ship to list but give them a call and find out.

[Racer Chris]

I'm currently thinking about pulling the trigger on 3 bottles of the 2016 Calon Segur, as it seems to be one of the top wines of the vintage but without the high price of super seconds.
Should I go for it my price will be $138 per bottle.

[JoelD]

I'm currently thinking about pulling the trigger on 3 bottles of the 2016 Calon Segur, as it seems to be one of the top wines of the vintage but without the high price of super seconds.
Should I go for it my price will be $138 per bottle.

Probably not for that price. I can still get it for 110-120 here in VA. I have 16 bottles currently and most of them I paid under 100. Its going up but old deals still to be had some places currently. Can see about grabbing some for you in the future if you want, Chris. Let me know

[JimHow]

I agree, Joel, we paid in the low $90 range in NH, I almost want to say $89, for 2016 Calon Segur. Not sure what it's going for these days.

[Racer Chris]

I understand that it was much cheaper on release. At the time I wasn't buying any higher classified growths other than leftover '14s.
Cellartracker notes and scores suggest this is an outstanding to phenomenal wine.
$129.95 is the lowest bottle price on Winesearcher Pro. NH has none.
$138 includes delivery. It's in Connecticut but too far to drive versus $24 shipping, and I couldn't find enough to fill a case at that store.
Joel, that would be terrific but we're too far apart for it to work I think.
I've also found the 2018 for (only) $150 plus shipping and I'm thinking about getting at least one at that price, along with some other top vintage contenders.

[JoelD]

I understand that it was much cheaper on release. At the time I wasn't buying any higher classified growths other than leftover '14s.
Cellartracker notes and scores suggest this is an outstanding to phenomenal wine.
$129.95 is the lowest bottle price on Winesearcher Pro. NH has none.
$138 includes delivery. It's in Connecticut but too far to drive versus $24 shipping, and I couldn't find enough to fill a case at that store.
Joel, that would be terrific but we're too far apart for it to work I think.
I've also found the 2018 for (only) $150 plus shipping and I'm thinking about getting at least one at that price, along with some other top vintage contenders.

I figured (maybe too hopefully) that we'd catch up at a BWE tasting or dinner at some point later this year. So offer stands if you want, maybe not worth the trouble to save $20 per bottle. Up to you though. My brother lives up in Woodstock, CT. And I also go up to Norwalk sometimes as well. So I am sure we could coordinate.

This is definitely a wine that has moved up in price quickly. I am glad I got mine in early on. I think around 93, all in for most.

[Racer Chris]

A brother in Woodstock, eh. That bodes well for a future BWE gathering with the NE contingent.

While I haven't gotten off the fence yet, I may go ahead simply because I'm more of a "bird in the hand" kinda guy, and it appears that the price of '16 C-S will continue to rise.
And to think, I only paid $64 each for my '14s.

[JoelD]

A brother in Woodstock, eh. That bodes well for a future BWE gathering with the NE contingent.

While I haven't gotten off the fence yet, I may go ahead simply because I'm more of a "bird in the hand" kinda guy, and it appears that the price of '16 C-S will continue to rise.
And to think, I only paid $64 each for my '14s.

Hope so! Just picked up a couple 1986 Rauzan Segla, might have to bring one.

Don't open one yet though. I don't think they're anywhere near showing what they're made of. Hence all my capberns to hold me over.

Sadly I didn't get any 14's. Will need to keep an eye out

[Racer Chris]

I just blew my allowance so the '16s are on hold. I'll see what's good next month.

The '86 R-S is a beauty. I have one more.