Phelan Segur OWC-6 St Estephe AC – 2016

“Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Phélan Ségur gives elegant red and black currants, kirsch and black berries with violets and chocolate box scents plus a waft of cigars. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, fine grained and fresh with great vibrancy and mineral notes on the finish.” 92/100 Wine Advocate

This beautiful chateau, located in the sleepy village of St Estèphe, is one of the rising stars of the Medoc. It enjoys a wonderful location next to Chateau Montrose, overlooking the Gironde River on gently sloping clay gravel ridges.

The property is spread over 114 hectares, including 44 hectares of parks, forests, meadows, streams and ponds, giving it a remarkable natural biodiversity. Its 70 hectares of vineyards benefit from the temperature regulation provided by the proximity of the river; they are divided into four very distinct islands and express the diversity of the clay-gravel soils of the appellation. The property is now owned by Belgian entrepreneur Philippe Van de Vyvere and managed by Veronique Dausse.

Phélan Ségur’s wines are characterised by their tannic structure, which gives the wines excellent ageing potential. The Phélan Ségur style stands out for its elegance, its pure and complex aromas, its finesse and precision, the quality of its tannins and its balance. The vines are 35 years old on average. The mix of grape varieties has evolved to match the types of soil and subsoil, and is now composed of a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon along with Merlot, Petit Verdotand Cabernet Franc.

Phélan Ségur is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 55% of which are new each year, and made by the six in-house coopers who have been working for the estate for many years.