CHATEAU CALON SEGUR
Château Calon Ségur (3rd Growth), the northernmost of the classified Cru estates in Médoc, is located northwest of the village of Saint-Estèphe. The estate produces approximately 250,000 bottles annually: Approximately 100,000 bottles of the 1st wine Château Calon Ségur 3rd Growth, approximately 90,000 bottles of the 2nd wine Le Marquis de Calon Ségur (formerly Marquis de Calon), and approximately 60,000 bottles of the 3rd wine Chapelle de Calon. Read more


Château Calon Ségur


Château Calon Ségur (3rd Growth), the northernmost of the classified Cru estates in Médoc, is located northwest of the village of Saint-Estèphe.
The estate produces approximately 250,000 bottles annually: Approximately 100,000 bottles of the 1st wine Château Calon Ségur 3rd Growth, approximately 90,000 bottles of the 2nd wine Le Marquis de Calon Ségur (formerly Marquis de Calon), and approximately 60,000 bottles of the 3rd wine Chapelle de Calon.
The estate's vineyards are planted with 55 hectares of vines consisting of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. The goal is to reduce the amount of Merlot to 20% and increase the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon to 71%, which historically resembles what previous generations had in the vineyards.
Château Calon Ségur is reportedly one of the three oldest vineyards in Saint Estèphe. The estate's history dates back to 1147 when it was owned by Monseigneur de Calon. The property changed hands—like most other châteaux in Bordeaux—and after being owned by the de Ségur family through generations, it eventually belonged to the Marquis de Ségur, who also owned the 1st Growth châteaux Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Latour in Pauillac. He is quoted as saying, "I make my wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon," which is why the heart has been a symbol of Château Calon Ségur for many years.
Château Calon Ségur, along with Château Meyney (Cru Bourgeois) and Château Ormes de Pez, was one of the three oldest vineyards in Saint Estèphe. Vast areas were under Château Calon Ségur, including the lands that now belong to Château Montrose (2nd Growth) and Château Phélan Ségur (Cru Bourgeois). The lands now belonging to Château Montrose were covered by forest until as late as 1825.
In 1894, the estate was bought by Georges Gasqueton, and the Capbern Gasqueton family owned and managed the estate until 2012. In July 2012, the estate was purchased by the large French insurance company, Suravenir Insurance, along with Jean-Pierre Moueix, the owner of Château Petrus, who acquired a minority stake. Significant investments have since been made in the estate's cellars and vineyards to prepare for the future with the best possible conditions for crafting the great wine the château can produce. Today, Laurent Dufau (managing director) and Vincent Millet (technical director) oversee this, in collaboration with consulting oenologist Eric Boissenot.
The wines are now rounder, juicier, more modern, and more refined, providing a purer and more intense experience of the fruit. Château Calon Ségur wines require at least 10-15 years in the bottle before they begin to reach maturity. 15-50 years in the bottle, depending on the vintage, work wonders. Young vintages should be decanted for two to four hours or more. Older vintages may not necessarily benefit from decanting.
Read the article on The Wine Cellar Insider about Suravenir Insurance's purchase of Château Calon Ségur for 215 million dollars in 2012.
LOCATION