2016 Phelan-Segur (St-Estephe)

The 2016 Phelan-Segur has a really quite superb bouquet, quite Pauillac-like in style with graphite-infused black fruit, subtle tertiary notes and later, pressed flowers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. There is plenty of tobacco-infused black fruit here, crisp and focused with a lovely salinity on the finish that lingers in the mouth. This is a strong follow-up to the excellent 2015 and may even surpass it. This is a Saint-Estephe that is getting better and better. 92-94 points

They finished picking here on 25th October, one of the latest ever harvests at Phélan. Feathery tannins and a fresh, ripe but crunchy aspect to the fruit gives a real sense of vivacity and grip. I love the dark pepper spice that clamps around the fruit on the second half of the palate. This is an excellent vintage for Phélan, for me better than both the 2015 and 2014. It`s full of life with silky, extremely pliable tannins (the IPT comes in at 89, but they reflect the signature of the vintage by b eing soft and lush) and a slow build up to a juicy frame that catches the fruit. Blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, aged in 50% new oak. 94 points

I can’t recall tasting a better young Phélan-Ségur than this rich, concentrated, abundantly perfumed 2016 release. It’s a confident, self-assured wine displaying all the good things about St Estèphe and none of the gruffness the appellation sometimes suffers from. Smooth, nuanced and refined with plush blueberry and blackcurrant fruit and fine tannins. Drink 2026-38. 95 points

2016 Phélan Ségur is one of the best recent versions of this wine I can remember tasting. Inky, powerful and explosive, it boasts striking inner sweetness and density. The high percentage of Merlot in 2016 gives the wine its striking texture and racy feel. Smoke, crushed rocks, savory herbs, licorice and crème de cassis notes develop with time in the glass, but it`s the wine`s voluptuous feel and palate intensity that are most remarkable today. 91-94 pts