2017 Phelan Segur Bordeaux Red

2017 Phelan Segur

94 RP

Featured Review

The 2017 Phélan Ségur is medium to deep garnet-purple colored with pronounced cassis, black raspberries, kirsch and violets with notions of cedar, earth and cigars. The palate is medium-bodied and elegant with great intensity, fine-grained and firm, finishing long and perfumed. Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Robert Parker | 94 RP

(Château Phélan Ségur, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, Red) Ruby red colour, medium intensity, fairly delicate in structure with floral notes on the nose. This unrolls in the glass, but it is quieter than many of the other recent vintages as it reflects the cooler summer. One that you need to sit with and allow to open but once it does the blackberry fruit is clear, and gentle smoked cedar and cigar box notes add complexity. New owner, Philippe Van de Vyvere as of this vintage. Harvest from September 14 to October 4. 3.74pH. (Drink between 2022-2038)

Decanter | 93 DEC

Showing nicely, the 2017 Chateau Phelan Segur is a textbook Saint-Estephe that plays beautifully in the vintage. Classis Saint-Estephe earthy dark fruits, spice box, cedary herbs, and hints of chocolate all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a rounded, seamless texture, loads of sweet fruit, and a great finish. It's a beautiful effort that readers should snatch up. Drink bottles over the coming 15-20 years.

Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

A firm, silky red with lovely tightness and depth, offering currant, blueberry and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Shows layers and beauty. Bright and vivid. Lovely length. Better in 2022 or later.

James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2017 Phélan Ségur has turned out beautifully. A wine of real substance and personality, Phélan Ségur is endowed with quite a bit of depth. Black plum, chocolate, spice, leather and mocha are some of the many notes that infuse this wonderfully expressive Saint-Estèphe. Readers should expect a bold, savory wine driven by strong Cabernet Sauvignon accents and structure. Accordingly, the 2017 needs time to be at its very best. In 2017, the Grand Vin contains an unusually high amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), much of which was able to hang until early October, with 34% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey opted to reduce exposure to oxygen during fermentation with the goal of maintaining as much freshness in the fruit as possible. I continue to be deeply impressed with the work Bacquey, Estate Manager Véronique Dausse and consulting winemaker Michel Rolland have done at Phélan over the last few years. Tasted two times.

Vinous Media | 93 VM

Focused, featuring a beam of black cherry and plum fruit, backed by well-embedded charcoal and iron notes. A light floral accent curls around the finish as the fruit and minerality meld together. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2031.

Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Type of Wine	Bordeaux Red : Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red
Varietal	Bordeaux Blend
Country	France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world. For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide. France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity. France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.