Château Phélan Ségur - Subskription -

96-97/100 Jamessuckling.com The polish and intensity of this wine is beautiful for the vintage, with blackcurrant, lead pencil and light chocolate character. It’s medium- to full-bodied with well-integrated fruit and tannins, and a long finish. Velvet texture. Excellent potential. Fermented from selected yeast from the various parcels. 58% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot, 1.5% petit verdot, and 1.5% cabernet franc. Let’s see which is better in the end, 2022 or 2023. - James Suckling 95/100 My Bettane + Desseauve Le cru s’est surpassé et les efforts des années précédentes ont porté leurs fruits. Le corps, la noblesse aromatique des cabernets et l’exactitude dans l’extraction du tannin peuvent servir de modèle. - Bettane & Desseauve 95-97/100 Yvesbeck.wine Phélan 2023 positioniert sich selbstbewusst und präzise, indem er das Nützliche mit dem Angenehmen verbindet, wäre ich versucht zu sagen. Angenehm, weil das Bouquet sehr harmonisch ist, und nützlich, weil er von Anfang an einen ernsthaften, präzisen Charakter zeigt. Neben feinen Holznuancen offenbart das Bouquet Frucht und Mineralik bzw. Noten von schwarzen Beeren und Graphit, ergänzt durch Minze, Süßholz und Brotkrümel. Der seidige Charakter des Auftakts wird von strukturierenden Tanninen abgelöst, die sich dem Gaumen entlang aufbauen. Sie sind zwar noch etwas straff, aber vor allem fein und bilden ein zuverlässiges Fundament. Die Säure ist prägnant und saftig. Sie sorgt für Temperament und Frische, während eine subtile Bitterkeit den Ausdruck und die Länge des Finales begünstigt. Ein Phélan Ségur, der sich mit Überzeugung unter den großen Weinen der Appellation positioniert! - Yves Beck 95/100 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Standout quality, delivering squid ink, cocoa bean, espresso, fresh cut herbs, sculpted and impressively confident, with frame and architecture while remaining succulent, and appealing. Will be ready to drink within four or five years of bottling but go for decades. Harvest began here on September 18, with the Cabernets coming in early October, finishing on the 11th (longest harvest on record, 18 days picking over one month). Native yeasts for fermentation after an extensive programme combining many wild yeasts from their vineyard, under the direction of the team Luc Peyronnet and Stéphane Rougé. An exciting estate right now, Philippe Van de Vyvere owner, Veronique Dausse director. Really one to look out for. If you follow my notes I hate saying this, but truly believe this is the best Phélan Ségur that I have tasted En Primeur. 55% new oak for ageing. - Jane Anson 92-94/100 Jeb Dunnuck The Grand Vin 2023 Château Phelan Ségur checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. It too is deep ruby purple-hued and offers a brilliant nose of pure cassis, sappy tobacco, flowers, and hints of leather. It's medium to full-bodied, brings good mid-palate concentration, and has integrated tannins and acidity, as well as outstanding length. It's a beautiful, concentrated, elegant 2023 with tons to love. Tasted multiple times, with one sample rating 95, but I'm being conservative with the rating. This has terrific potential. - Jeb Dunnuck 92-94/100 The Drink Business Phélan-Ségur (St-Estèphe; 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; 38% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot; a final yield of 52 hl/ha; 55% new oak; IPT 80; pH 3.83; 13.5% alcohol; tasted at the UGC press tasting at the Cité du Vin and then at the property; a selection of yeasts from the vineyard is cultivated prior to vinification; 60 per cent of the production made the selection for the grand vin). Quite distinctive in its aromatic salinity and minerality. Blueberries. Mulberries. Brambles. A loamy earthiness. A touch of cherry with aeration too (a decanter and/or time would/will reveal more). An intense wild heather and herbal note. Maybe a hint of violet. In In the mouth this is fine and glossily textured. A delicate cassis and menthol freshness is revealed with gentle inhalation and aeration. Nice layering and impressively deep, dark and dense in the mid-palate but with a lovely radiant and luminous quality. A little less joyous in this slightly more austere vintage than it was in 2022, but this is very fine and it is lifted by the gentle sweet spicing. Succulent and juicy with a fine sense of harmony and balance. - Colin Hay 92-94/100 The Wine Cellar Insider Flowers, black raspberries, cherries, mint, and Asian spices fill the nose. There is richness, freshness, balance, and complexity. The wine finishes with minerality, red berries, and a touch of minty, chalk on the back end. This should be quite nice shortly after release. Drink from 2027-2047. 92-94 Pts. - Jeff Leve 92-94/100 Vinous The 2023 Phélan Ségur is a powerful, brooding wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense, licorice, dried herbs, lavender and mocha infuse the 2023 with striking complexity. Persistent saline notes lend energy, dimension and shape. The Cabernet Sauvignon really screams with intensity here. Tasted two times. - Antonio Galloni 92-94/100 Vinous The 2023 Phélan Ségur was picked September 18 to October 11 at 52hL/ha and matured in 55% new oak. This has a very pure bouquet. You can actually tell that there is less SO2 being employed here since it displays that strong crushed strawberry fruit, almost confit-like character, turning more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins. This is very well balanced, though not a Phélan Ségur laden with huge concentration (the analytical alcohol is a more restrained 13.54%). There is just a touch of balsamic that perks up the finish, while graphite notes join the chorus line toward the close. Quite an "involving" wine in the cards, this will be fascinating to revisit once in bottle. - Neal Martin 92/100 Falstaff Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections. Ripe cherries, plums, light touch of blackberry confit, a hint of roasted aromas and fine oak. Taut, finely-meshed, ripe cherries, vivid tannins, mineral, good persistence, will benefit from further ageing. - Peter Moser