The 2009 Calon Segur Bordeaux Blend is a remarkable wine from the St Estephe sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Produced by Calon Segur, this vintage showcases a predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blend (90%), with 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, and is celebrated for its balance, structure, and elegance.
John Perry from JJ Buckley awarded the wine a high score of 97, noting its "absolutely brilliant and classically Bordeaux nose" with aromas of dark berries, tobacco, cedar, and spice, complemented by a "gorgeous mineral streak." Perry commends the wine's precision, length, and structure, describing it as "not a flashy wine but not austere either."
Wine Spectator, with a score of 96, praises the wine for its "gorgeous aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and licorice with hints of tobacco and spice." The reviewer highlights the wine's "lovely texture and refinement," noting its "tangy acidity and lively fruit." This review also points out the significant use of Cabernet Sauvignon and the château's shift to using 100% new wood, a change they appreciate.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, also scoring the wine 96, emphasizes its elegance and freshness. Lisa Perrotti-Brown describes the wine as having a "beautiful fragrance of redcurrant preserves, cassis, black cherry compote, and red roses," with "very ripe, fine-grained tannins" and a long, perfumed finish.
Vinous, with a score of 93, recognizes the wine's powerful black fruit, melted road tar, tobacco, and pencil shaving scents, along with a touch of wild mint. Neal Martin comments on the wine's grainy texture and edginess, suggesting it will benefit from a few more years of aging.
John Gilman from View From The Cellar gave the wine a 94+ score, noting its "vibrant blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, cigar smoke, dark soil tones, and pungent violets." Gilman praises its "superb soil inflection, impeccable focus and balance," predicting it to be a "great vintage of Calon-Ségur in the making."
James Suckling, who rated the wine 95, mentions its "fennel and earth character" and "supple" palate, advising to "drink or hold" for further development.
Decanter, with another 96 score, highlights the wine's "wonderfully sexy, smoky, intriguing and tantalising" aromatics, and "silky-smooth tannins and well brushed damson and black cherry fruits." This review also notes the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever included in this wine.
Jeb Dunnuck, scoring the wine 95, describes it as perhaps "the finest wine from this estate in the 2000s," emphasizing its "full-bodied richness, a layered, structured mouthfeel, and wonderful sweetness of fruit."
Lastly, Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com, who rated it 92, mentions the wine's "secondary notes of wet earth, tobacco, truffle, spice" and suggests giving it another decade in the cellar to reach its full potential.
Overall, the 2009 Calon Segur stands out as a well-constructed and balanced Bordeaux blend, praised for its elegance, structure, and aging potential.