2018 Marquis de Calon
Buying options
Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Fragrant, high-toned (young-vine) Cabernet nose. A little austere. Very much in classic mould of St-Estèphe – not that much pleasure in the short term, and not much body. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Marquis de Calon has a very perfumed, quite floral bouquet that demonstrates much more precision and focus than the preceding 2018 Capbern. It blossoms with copious blackberry and boysenberry scents, crushed violets and a touch of iris petal. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe entry, taut and quite rigid tannins, and then... hold on... there is that nagging green streak that I remarked upon out of barrel. It prongs the finish, unmistakably, leaving a very bitter aftertaste that dissuades me from taking another sip. I just think there is a batch of fruit that should never have made it into this Deuxième Vin, which is a pity because otherwise it could have been a fine wine. (I left this bottle another 24 hours to monitor any improvement but the greenness was just as evident.)
The second wine from Calon Ségur, the 2018 Le Marquis De Calon Segur shows the ripe, sexy side to the vintage and has terrific blackcurrant and red plum-like fruits as well as lots of tobacco and cedary spice aromas and flavors. Close to an even split of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, this full-bodied, gorgeously texture, balanced Saint-Estate should be snatched up by readers. It's in the running for the top second wine of the vintage!
About the producer
Wedding gift lists traditionally include wine glasses or cutlery, but in 1718, Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, the owner of Château Lafite and Château Latour and president of the Bordeaux parliament, received a rather more impressive present: Château Calon.