CHÂTEAU CALON SÉGUR

The Grand Vin was picked between 1st and 16th October, the Cabernet from the 9th October, the fruit sorted by hand as it enters the winery rather than an optical sorting machine. It has a very fragrant bouquet, very pure with dark cherries and raspberry preserve, like a toned down version of the 2009. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, chalky tannins. There is plenty of bright red fruit, fine focus and a very composed, quite suave finish that is presently driven by the 100% new oak. This is a great little wine from Calon Segur that should have plenty of class and sophistication once in bottle Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2013)

(78% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot and 2% petit verdot; 5.5 g/l total acidity, 75 IPT; 13.5% alcohol; 38 h/h yield): Pretty, medium ruby-red. Aromas of raspberry, cocoa powder and mint are lifted by a penetrating violet note. Intensely flavored, juicy and tight, with brisk acidity extending the red and dark fruit and minerals on the bright, very well-delineated finish. A note of sweet blackcurrant lingers impressively. This has excellent energy without coming across as green, but seems less strict to me than the 2011. Interestingly, technical director Vincent Millet told me that the petit verdot was planted partly in 1939 and that these old vines love water stress (they were harvested on October 15, yielding just 15 h/h). In contrast, some of the young cabernet sauvignon vines didn't make it, which explains the lowest proportion of cabernet sauvignon (along with 2011) in the Calon-Segur blend in some years (2008 had 75%). Millet thinks that the 2012 Calon is livelier than the 2011 (which had a similar pH but lower total acidity); he believes the '11 will be ready to drink sooner than 2012. I'm not so sure, as I find this 2012's sweetly fruity personality hard to resist already. Rating: 89-92 Ian d'Agata, TerroirSense (May 2013)

Lively and some richness. Dry finish. But great vitality. Long and complete with no concessions to the vintage. Not as dense as Montrose. 2020 - 2035. Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2013)

A château that rarely disappoints, even in trickier vintages, Calon-Ségur seems to be flourishing under its new owners. This is the same blend of grapes as in 2010 and 2011, but it’s the hand of the winemaker, Vincent Millet, that matters. Once again, this is a very graceful St Estèphe, with no hard edges, polished tannins, plenty of perfume and oak and the understated concentration needed to age. Drink: 2020-35 Rating: 94 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2013)

Superbly rich colour, nose still discreet but of great class, great purity of flavour, tannins present for the long-term, “an iron fist in a velvet glove”, a beautifully structured wine for the long term, the Lafite of Saint-Estephe. Drink: 2018 - 2035. Rating: 18.25 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2013)

One of the highlights of the vintage, with a perfect expression of the terroir and some beautiful fruit. Rating: 18 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Apr 2013)

Super fresh and floral with raspberry, currant and berry character. Full body, with fine tannins and a long, long finish. Bright and racy. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2013)