2018 Phelan-Segur (St-Estephe)

A big wine, but super silky tannins. In fact it`s all so finely done that it`s easy not to notice how big a wine it is. Quite oaky, but well integrated. Got that real earthy, slightly spicy St-Estephe character that I think of as `agave`. (NT 30/04/19)
Origin
St-Estephe, Medoc, Bordeaux FRANCE
Colour
red
Wine Style
dry
Dominant Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon
Closure Style
cork
Maturity
young
Bottle Size
75cl
Case Quantity
6
Wine Score
94 points, Jane Anson, decanter.com, April 2019
17 points, Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, April 2019
93-95 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com, April 2019
91-94 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, April 2019
93-95 points, Chris Kissack

This product is delisted and unavailable for sale.

Media Reviews

Jane Anson

This is good quality in 2018, as it has consistently been over the past few vintages. It has a silky texture and is powerful but restrained, displaying the freshness and power of the clay that underpins the soils here and demonstrating just how good the Merlots were when they were picked at full ripeness but not more - here they were also given one week less than usual for the extraction. There`s plenty of concentration here but it`s hidden, latent, reserving its energy for the long haul. Harvest took place between 24 September and 11 October, with a good yield of 49hl/ha. 60% of the production went into the grand vin. 3.8pH. 77IPT. 94 points

Julia Harding

57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot. Harvested 24 September to 11 October. 49 hl/ha. TA 3.1 (expressed as sulphuric). Deepest purple. Pure if slightly charry blackcurrant fruit. Dark-chocolate notes add another layer but not sweetness. Chewy, thick, dry but not tough tannins. Tongue-tied and not ready to be tasted, let alone drunk, for some time. Quite oaky. Chewy on the finish but there`s plenty of compact fruit too – just all so dense that it is tied up on itself. More aromatic in the empty glass – the sweet black fruit and a hint of violets. Needs time to open in the glass just as it needs time in bottle. My score is based on the hope that it will eventually unfurl. 17 points

Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2018 Phélan Ségur is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot, harvested from September 14 to October 4. The wine comes in at 14% alcohol, 3.8 pH and has an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Deep purple-black in color, it springs from the glass with bright, vibrant notes of raspberry preserves, kirsch and ripe blackcurrants with hints of rose petals, tilled black soil, spice cake and warm plums plus a waft of star anise. Medium to full-bodied with a solid backbone of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, the palate sports a taut, muscular fruit profile with loads of bright red fruit sparks and a long, earthy finish. 93-95 points

Antonio Galloni

The 2018 Phélan Ségur is another in a strong series of wines from this re-born property. Deep and persistent on the palate, the 2018 has a lot to offer. Dark cherry, plum, graphite, menthol, spice and licorice all build in a super-expressive, delineated yet dense Saint-Estèphe loaded with personality. The 2018 finishes with serious intensity and structure. Technical Director Fabrice Bacquey opted for cooler macerations and short cuvaisons, especially for the Merlots, as the fruit was especially rich and the wines extracted easily, while the Cabernets were fermented more or less as usual. Yields were 49 hectoliters per hectare, a bit higher than the 20-year average of 44 and inline with other recent vintages such as 2015, 2016 and 2017. The blend is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot. 91-94 points

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