Château Phélan Ségur 2019

Château Phélan Ségur is one of the Crus Bourgeoise Exceptionnel properties located within Saint-Estèphe appellation.  Of all the properties that possesses the qualities of a Classified Growth, Château Phélan Ségur would definitely be an estate that fits within that category.  With extraordinary terroir near properties like Château Calon Ségur and Château Montrose, Château Phélan Ségur is a true insider’s wine and available at an undervalued price. 
 
The history of this property dates to the time it was under the ownership of Nicolas Alexandre de Ségur.  Nicolas Alexandre de Ségur was a legendary figure within the wine world at his time, owning not one but three First Growth properties – Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, and Château Mouton.  He was nicknamed, “the Wine Prince,” and also oversaw operations at an estate that would later hold a very personal significance to him, Château Calon Ségur.  Château Calon Ségur is of special historic significance to Château Phelan Ségur, as both properties were portions of the vast Ségur estate. A hundred years later, this property was purchased by an Irishman named Bernard Phélan.  He purchased both Clos de Garramey and Ségur properties.  He combined his last name with Ségur, thus Château Phélan Ségur was born.  Bernard Phélan was well connected within the industry at the time, as he was married to one of the Guestier daughters of the famed négociant, Barton and Guestier. In the modern era, Château Phélan Ségur was managed by Thierry Gardinier.  Gardinier also manages Château Meyney in Saint-Estèphe and the Fifth Growth estate, Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse in Pauillac. In August 2017, Château Phelan Ségur was sold for a record breaking 90 million Euros to a wealthy Belgian investor, Philippe Van de Vyvre.
 
This large, 70-hectare estate is planted with a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.  The choicest vines are located near the Saint-Estèphe powerhouse, Château Montrose.  Most of the vines are 35 years old, yet there are a small portion of old vines at 70 years of age.  An extensive overhaul of renovations was completed in 2011 and the prolific Michel Rolland was hired to consult at the estate.  As of 2020, the estate began incorporating Petit Verdot to the final blend of the wine.  The wine is aged in a smaller portion of new French oak to add dimension and structure.  To improve the quality of the grand vin, a Second Wine was introduced in 1986.  It was named Frank Phélan in honor of the previous owner who built the château. Château Phélan Ségur is a unique expression of a Saint-Estèphe, as the wine can be enjoyed earlier. Most  Saint-Estèphe wines require significant time in bottle in order to show the fullest potential of the vintage.  With that in mind, the wine has excellent ageing potential and can last up to 20 years after the vintage.  This makes it a versatile wine and a worthy purchase. 

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Phélan Ségur prances out of the glass with bold notions of blackcurrant pastilles, baked plums and boysenberries, plus hints of chargrilled meats, lavender, tilled soil and cracked black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is like a tightly coiled spring, featuring loads of condensed black fruit and fragrant layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with bags of energy." -  Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, Rating (92-94)

"Another impressive vintage at this estate, one that is regularly turning out wines to sit up and take notice of. A touch more austerity than was seen at this stage in the 2018, but the same level of intensity and concentration and just sheer confidence without trying too hard. Undertow of crushed granite and liquorice root, with real precision in the cassis fruits, and a wall of tannins that manage to be both present and unobtrusive. Great winemaking going on here. 56% new oak, 3.8pH, 1PT81. Could go higher when retasting in bottle. Tasted twice two weeks apart." Jane Anson, Decanter, (May, 2020) Rating: 94

"Véronique Dausse continues to lift the quality at this estate. Her 2019 Château Phelan Segur reveals a dense purple color as well as a rich, full-bodied, powerful style on both the nose and palate. Loads of chocolaty dark fruits, roasted herbs, licorice, and graphite all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a big, rich mid-palate, plenty of tannins, and beautiful length. This rich, age-worthy Phelan Segur is going to have some upfront appeal yet will benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age. Given the wealth of material, purity, and balance, this could end up being a real superstar of a wine." Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2019 - A Modern-Day Version of 1982?, (6/11/2020) Rating: 93-95