Château Phélan Ségur 2021

Expressive, with red berries, plums, gingerbread, grasses, violets and stony notes. On the palate clear and pure, structured, marked tannins, crisp fruit, red‑fruited finish. Once again shows breed and precision, has character. Confirms the great performances of previous years, superb!

Shows gently mulled loganberry and black currant fruit flavors that have some breadth, atypical for the vintage, while a mix of black tea, potpourri and singed cedar notes fill in the background. Reveals a pretty accent of warm earth on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035. 10,000 cases made.

The 2021 Phélan Ségur has a very appealing bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and cedar scents, a touch of black truffle emerging with time. It conveys Saint-Estèphe typicity. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fairly tensile, supported by a fine thread of acidity. This is a more linear and perhaps more conservative Phélan that should age well in bottle. Tasted twice.

Black raspberries, chocolate, dried roses, spice, and sweet black cherry aromatics blend together in the perfume. The palate is even better with all its soft, sweet, fresh, polished, lively red fruits, spices, and a dash of salty cocoa that pops in at the end of the finish. This should be quite enjoyable shortly after release. The wine blends 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, which is the highest percentage of Cabernet used in Phelan Segur. Drink from 2025–2040.

Deep dark garnet, purple tinge to a narrow rim. Subtle floral nuances, cassis and blackberries, fine wood savouriness, fresh orange zest. Juicy, red berry fruit and fresh, integrated, vivid tannins, mineral finish; endowed with certain ageing potential.

Dark purple core and hue. Fragrant with fine purity, offering cabernet-driven dark fruit notes – cassis, plum, tobacco, licorice – with fine oak underneath. It shows good concentration with ripe and refreshing tannins, balanced acidity, gentle butterscotch from the oak, savoury dark berry flavours, crème de cassis, mocha, and a long, meaty finish. Truly well made for the vintage.

Beautiful black raspberries, cassis, violets, spicy herbs, and spicy oak all emerge from the 2021 Château Phelan Segur, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up for 18 months in 55% new French oak. It’s medium-bodied, has a supple, incredibly elegant mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and beautiful overall length and elegance. It’s another polished, classy, and incredibly seamless wine from director Véronique Dausse and her team. It will drink well with just 2–3 years of bottle age and should see its 20th birthday in fine form.

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, IPT 85, 13.5% vol. Seductive bouquet of freshly picked Morello cherry, blackcurrant jelly, dried rosemary and a delicate violet perfume. On the palate, delicate with a silky texture, wonderful concentration of extract, perfectly supportive freshness, a tight-knit tannin framework in a well-toned body with fine “St. Estèphe claws.” A concentrated finish with noble cassis spice, Szechuan pepper and a finely sandy astringency. Everything is in the right place here. Tasted four times, always at the same level. A timeless classic!

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 32 hl/ha, 13.5% vol. alcohol) Creamy, velvety, fine, elegant bouquet; blackcurrant, plum, noble woods, tobacco, a touch of licorice. Densely knit, elegant, fresh palate with powerful dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy, dense structure, complex aromatics, and a long, powerful finish.

(75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 32 hl/ha, 13.5% vol. alcohol) Creamy, velvety, fine, elegant bouquet, blackcurrant, plum, fine woods, tobacco, subtle licorice. Densely woven, elegant, fresh palate with powerful dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy, dense structure, complex aromatics, long, firm finish. 18/20 2028 - 2050

They do a great job at Phélan of consistently maintaining the estate character, and here you get the damson and blackberry fruit of St Estephe, with a full mid-palate. The tannins are a little angular on the finish from the fresh acidities, but this is an enjoyable wine. Harvest from September 29 to October 13. IPT 85. 55% new oak. An upscore, tasted twice.

Even if evident, the élevage fully plays its role as an aromatic conveyor, championing complexity. The bouquet reveals nuances of black pepper, red berries, and licorice, while hints of graphite emerge with aeration. On the palate, the wine is caressing on entry, yet remains powerful and compact. The tannins provide perfect support and add breadth, while the acidity delivers energy. Very fine-grained tannins, though they still need a little time to round out. The wine has a long future ahead, while already offering approachability in its youth. An inviting, pleasing, powerful, and charming Phélan Ségur.

Dark, intense color. Very aromatic nose with pure, ripe fruit. Floral. Caressing on the attack, fruity mid-palate; the wine develops pleasantly, with medium body and length.

Still a touch austere, the nose—bloody and green pepper—starts to assert itself with renewed freshness as it opens up. The velvety attack, with the tartness of a grape, precedes the tension and reveals a solid structure. With 75% cabernet sauvignon, the highest proportion in the last thirty years, and among the latest harvests, it is built to stand the test of time.

Fragranced roses, raspberry and vanilla nose. Smooth and supple, a nice juicy core. Clean and clear, good use of oak and extraction. A pleasant and really enjoyable glass of wine with bright red fruits, fine silky tannins and a long mineral finish. Becomes a bit more serious on the second taste, the tannin mass amplifying in the mouth, growing in structure. This is a good example and will age too. Has some density and character.

Pure, vibrant fruit on the nose. The aromas recall a bouquet of freshly cut flowers, with sap lending a delightfully green note that adds extra freshness. On the palate, there’s a rather coarse velvet texture, so you almost feel like you’re chewing the wine. It’s flavorful and spicy, with notes of summer fruits, a hint of ink, and a floral side that lingers through the finish.