First Time Trying "Calon Segur" 1995 – Tasting Notes
Background:
- Wine:Château Calon-Ségur 1995 (Third Growth, Saint-Estèphe)
- Blend:Bordeaux Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot)
Tasting Notes
Appearance
- Color:Ruby-red with a "pigeon blood" hue, still vibrant for its age.
Nose (Aroma)
- Initially:Tight and powerful upon opening, dominated by cedar, oak, and smoky notes, with subtle earthy undertones. Fruit and floral aromas were restrained.
- After 30 mins of decanting:Began to open up—blackcurrant, raspberry, and a savory, almost "natural wine" minerality emerged.
- After 1 hour:Evolved further with liquorice, dark chocolate, and a touch of tobacco.
Palate (Taste)
- Tannins: Softened nicely but still present (typical of aged Bordeaux).
- Acidity:Noticeably high, giving freshness but slightly dominant early on.
- Flavor Profile:Balanced but not overly complex—black fruits, earthy notes, and oak spices in harmony.
Structure & Finish
- Body:Medium-full, elegant but not heavy.
- Finish:Moderate length, ending with lingering cedar and dark fruit.
Impressions & Comparisons
- Balance:Very well-integrated—no single element overpowers (aroma, flavor, acidity all upper-medium tier).
- Lacking Distinction? In a blind tasting of Bordeaux, this might blend in—no standout "wow" factor(e.g., missing the rose petal florality sometimes associated with "Calon’s romantic charm"). — 17 hours ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.
Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate and complex.
Showing black currants, black plums, cherries, spices, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs and light forest floor.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a fabulous 18 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from Saint Julien. Rich and balanced. Elegant and fruit forward. Chocolaty and spicy.
This First wine from the 4th Growth is drinking beautifully now, and not showing that much age. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
I had the 2005 vintage not too long ago and this 2007 vintage is drinking better now. Well balanced and complex.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will pair nicely with a big piece of steak too.
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.
13% alcohol by volume.
93 points
$130. — 2 months ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.
Beautiful nose of black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, licorice, light toast, Mediterranean spices, wet leaves, chocolates, tobacco leaf, earth, herbs and forest floor.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, blueberries, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black pepper, light vegetables, black tea and pencil lead.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This 21 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from Saint Estephe is drinking beautifully now.
Still showing enough fruits with lots of chocolate and earth notes. Elegant and rich. Subdued, but interesting.
What are great surprise. I did not think this would drink so nicely at this point.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 20 minutes of airtime, when tannins show up.
Showing good structure and balance. Complex on the palate and the nose.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and paired very nicely with French cheeses.
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot with 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
13% alcohol by volume.
94 points.
$50. — 12 days ago
Great wine, full expressive nose, body full with soft tannins that entice the palate to stimulate the arms for another pour — 3 days ago
It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!
Dark ruby/ purple in color with a purplish rim.
Light nose of red fruits with chocolate notes.
Medium bodied with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, spices, light oak, chocolates and peppercorn.
Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 4 year old Merlot from Saint Julien is drinking nicely now. Showing mild complexity and fruit forward.
A good quality Second Wine. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years.
Easy drinking and good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with BBQ Meats.
A blend of 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 12 months.
13% alcohol by volume.
89 points.
$40. — 17 days ago
Other than the style of well made 80’s Bordeaux’s, 2005 is my favorite modern vintage. It was a grand slam year/vintage for the Bordelaise.
2005’s are drinking beautifully with still room for improvement. Of course, Saint Julien is known for its elegance and this Lagrange is all that. The evolution at this point is sheer beauty.
Round, lush, ripe, soften fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums, black raspberries & slight bake strawberries. Some red & black licorice, dark red, cola, soft used leather, dry tobacco, soft graphite, savory herbaceous notes, beautiful, relaxed, dark spice, dark rich earth with stones & dry leaves, limestone, gentle unstated spice, undertoned; cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Black coffee hues, black tea, red roses, red & dark fresh & withering flowers, perfect acidity, balance for days, elegant, smartly polished, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on spice & minerals.
Delicious today & will drink beautifully for another 15 years.
Winemaking; 46% Cabernet, 45% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot. From 40 year old vines and rested in 60% new & 40% used oak for 21 months. — a month ago
Andrew Cullimore
Medium deep garnet , medium terracotta rim . A very healthy looking colour. Quite mature and venerable on the nose , sous bois , iodine, plum, old wood , earthy with herbal touches and fresh tobacco . Reasonable volume on the palate with light sous bois and nori notes , quite fresh acidity and slightly gritty tannins still. Tobacco , grafite slightly short finish. Quite a good showing for a wine of almost 80 years old, enough interest and volume on the palate . Probably better a few decades ago , but certainly more than a curiosity as the wine stayed with us well for over 2 hours . Drink now . This was an ex chateau bottle that had been reconditioned at some point , I would imagine by the looks of the cork , about 20-25 years ago. No mention of this on the bottle however . Into neck fill. — 6 days ago