Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I need to start w/ a little preamble.

For me, Pessac-Leognan was a late comer Bordeaux region. The last one I gravitated to in my 26 yr Bordeaux experience.

Nearly all the previous 2000 Bordeaux’s I’ve had up to this point needed a lot more cellaring. Mostly 1st & 2nd Growths, some 3rd. This 2000 started lean…lacking depth & a bigger tannin profile. But that is not entirely uncharacteristic for older Pessac’s. It seemed slightly more late in its drinking window. It picked up weight in the decanter at 2 1/2 hours and then showed more weight & depth w/ my Ribcap.

This started elegant w/ soft Bordeaux characteristics. Beauty & elegance as I understand it in Bordeaux’s from this region and this kind of age. But lacked 2000 earthiness & depth. For me, this is a 3rd tier Pessac producer, my terminology. Not up there with Haut Bailly or Pape Clement and of course Haut Brion.

2000’s up to this point have shown great depth & deep characteristics. Most needing longer than anticipated aging.

This was beautiful, elegant but lean based on previous definitions. Early on it seemly felt like it was a drink up in the next 3 yrs w/o the steak. With a longish decant & steak, more 7-10 yrs.

The nose shows muddled to slightly stewy; dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, some mushroom notes, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles-top soils with dark, red, withering flowers.

The palate shows beautiful elegance with nothing that bites back. Perfectly resolved velvety tannins. Ripe, juicy, somewhat ruby fruits. Yet, have slightly stewy characteristics. Dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, softly layered & even baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mid, dark, Asian spices, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened, nearly sweet graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, charcoal, volcanic ash, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles, dry top soils with dark, red, withering flowers, near perfect acidity, well balanced w/ softened structure/tension, great length and an elegant finish that goes on and on and long sets on spice & clay.

Almost new cork and little to no sediment.

92-93 with a long decant & a rich, fatty steak-Ribcap. First taste after pouring into the decanter, 90.

Photos of; Haut-Bergey, Paul Garcin-Managing Director and Francois Prouteau-Cellar Master. — 6 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

As I have said many times before, I love these old 90’s Joseph Phelps Napa Cabernets. 1994 was the last vintage Phelps used this label. #oldschool

13.7 ABV. A little higher than expected for this era but way better than 15+.

The nose fruits show that light brickish flare-a touch baked & hints of being stewed, yet still beautifully ripe. Softened, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, spiced plum & dark cherries, some raspberries & blueberry hues. Sandalwood, dry stems, mid berry cola, soft baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, steeped tea, mix of dry & rich dark earth, charcoal, sweet, moist, volcanic clays, light graphite, bright, red, dark, blue florals with a hue of violets.

The fruits in this 93 are still very sound/solid & fresh. It senses just waning from its peak. It’s beautiful, elegant w/ perfect evolution. Glides over the palate, nothing bitty. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, spiced plum, dark cherries, cherries, shades of freshly baked rhubarb & blueberry w/ hues of raspberries. Sandalwood, dry stems, mid berry cola, amazing softened dark spice with some palate heat, dry herb mix, soft baking spice-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, understated caramel notes, vanillin. Steeped tea, mix of dry & rich dark earth, charcoal, light, gentle graphite, dry top soils, dry limestone powder, red, dark, blue florals, red roses with a hue of violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with perfect balance-structure, elegant & softly polished finish that last minutes and lands on softened earth tones & Indian/Asian spices.

I had many 90’s Phelps Napa Cabernets & this might be the most memorable for its tireless age at 32 yrs & style. Amazing treat. Really good with the Ribcap. Sublime.

Amazingly, next to no sediment. — 8 months ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.5

W&S Top 100. I just had the 2016, now the 2017 appears. Blau is wow. — 6 years ago

with Mark

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I haven’t had a Bordeaux in a while. Especially, with a Ribcap. So, why not an 82? The vintage Robert Parker made his career as the only critic who called it correctly.

Very good 80’s Bordeaux were my first true wine love. Their style & 12-13% ABV will always be my cherished infatuation. Wished it had never changed.

Bought this Calon Segur on the secondary market several yrs ago. Tricky cork. Used my Durand. All good. Fill line perfect, no bottle neck tannin burn but plenty of velvety sediment.

If any of you ever wondered why there is a heart on the label. Here is the interesting reason…

It symbolizes the estate's deep-rooted history and the affection of its former owner, the Marquis de Ségur. Despite owning prestigious estates like Château Lafite and Château Latour, he famously declared, "I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon." His sentiment is immortalized by the heart emblem on the label.

Opened it and let it breathe from the bottle for 45 minutes. Tasted it and decanting it in stages. Then, stopped 1/2 way through and poured the bottom half of the bottle from the bottle.

82 is such a grand, classic vintage. For the most part, I drink Calon Segur’s too early, even at 20 yrs of age. I don’t want to say it is a long in tooth as its neighbor, Montrose, but it is close. This 82 is drinking perfectly w/ 41 yrs in bottle and will hold another 5 yrs. Such soft, perfectly darkish spices with elegantly ripe fruits.

This 82 glides over the palate. There is only beautiful elegance, nothing bites back. The fruits are older (not old or past their prime), ripe fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums but lean plum vs black, dark cherries, crazy, outstanding, hoovering raspberries with notes of blueberries & shades of freshly picked rhubarb. Some black cherry cola, anise to understated black licorice, dark chocolate pudding, caramel, layered, gentle baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, touch of sun tea, old leather, dryish to fresh tobacco w/ash, charcoal, elegant graphite, dry limestone powder, dry river pebbles, black, rich earth w/ dry leaves, magical, dark spices, grey volcanics, dry stems, just a hint of dry herbs, dry top soil, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, red roses, grand acidity with perfect; balance, tension, structure and a grand, gentle finish that goes on & on and eventually lands on an amazing soft buffet of earthiness.

This is a wine that is technically a 94, but w/ evolution & style a 97. Amazing bottle that you don’t want to end.

$500 a bottle today through the app. Somewhere around $10 upon release. — 3 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1985 vintage. Decanted. Underrated vintage and port. 70's and 90's declared years got all the pub and ridiculous ratings. Still über-grapey but with decent structure. Another decade and a half should find this maximized for pleasure. 8.19.23. — 3 years ago

ESF

9.2

Idiosyncratic orange wine that is now more rust/brown… dizzying nose - almost impossible to encapsulate: dried orange rind, yellow orchard fruit, potpourri, spice but more like herbal bitters, incense like oud, savory, burnt caramel, etc. Just amazing. Fleshy on palate, drinks bigger than one would expect. Structured if a bit lumbering, more austere on palate w/yellow pitted fruit & umami. Great length & persistence, grippy, bitter mixed w/sweet spice like cinnamon. Cerebral stuff — 5 years ago

Brian Reedy

9.2

Delicious. Classic Bob Cabral and W/S. Deep luscious fruit, bright acidity and balance. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.

I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.

The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.

The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.

What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 4 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

My continuing quest to taste as many 22’s as possible.

The nose shows, rich, candied and floral fruits that are: blackberries dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries on the edges with just a touch of freshly picked rhubarb. Soft minerals & baking spices and bright candied dark, red and purple flowers.

The palate shows ripe, lush fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, plum and poached strawberries. Dark chocolate, caramel notes, red cola & licorice, fresh & dry herbs, dark, smooth spices, dark, rich, forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry twigs, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, dry stone & top soil, barrel shavings, dry tobacco w/ ash, limestone, grey volcanics dark, red candied with some withering flowers with violets, excellent acidity with a round, lush, well made, balance, mid tension, elegant finish that last ninety seconds and lands squarely on spice, clove and dry minerals.

This should be cellared 8-10 and enjoyed over the next 15-20 years plus properly stored.

At $1,140 a bottle, a hard pass for many, but excellent wine with potential for another 2 points w/ age. — a year ago

Paul Masson

9.0

Off-dry. Mineral city — 5 years ago