2017 Phelan-Segur (St-Estephe)

The 2017 Phélan-Ségur, was harvested as late as possible, starting on 14 September with the Merlot and starting the Cabernet around 27 September and finished around mid-October. It is matured in 50% new oak. It appears to show more red fruit on the nose than its Saint-Estèphe peers, just a little disjointed at first but melding together with time, raspberry and briary scents mixed with dried rose petals. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, quite foursquare and masculine, needing more flesh to come through on the finish. 89-91 points

New owner, Philippe Van de Vyvere as of 2017. This is a wine that settles into the glass. It has confident, firm and rich fruit, good aromatics and structured tannins that have been well extracted. Bristling, young and a clear life ahead of it. The tannins vibrate through the palate but are very much at the front of the mouth right now, raring to go. Exceptionally good for the vintage. Retasted several times. 93 points

Tasted both at Hangar 14 and at Phélan Ségur. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon (usually 50-55% and picked late, 27 September to 4 October), 34% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. No problems with frost in St-Estèphe (except a small parcel at Lafont-Rochet that goes into their second wine): 45 hl/ha. IPT 78, TA (sulphuric) 3.3 g/l, pH 3.74. Dark black cherry with purple core. Ripe, bright cassis plus a `wild` aroma of bramble and elderberry. Firm dry texture giving a whole with sufficient mid-palate fruit. Taut and chewy/chalky but in harmony. Deeper/thicker tannins than on most wines but with plenty of dark fruit at the core. Firm and chewy but still juicy on the long finish. Has plenty of stuffing and should gain elegance with time in bottle. 16.5+ points

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Phélan Ségur gives up notes of black plums and fresh blackberries with an earthy undercurrent of damp soil, truffles and mossy bark. Medium-bodied, soft, plush and with a good core of fruit, it gives an earthy finish. 87-89 points