(94-96) Spicy, sweet, fresh, earthy, red fruits, soft tannins and a sassy attitude create this wine’s demeanor. There is density with strong, chewy tannins. The finish is polished, rich and energetic, delivering a blackberry Asian zing, licorice and a dark cocoa endnote. It will take time -- at least a decade -- before this nonconformist is civilized. The wine was produced from 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, reaching 13.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.70. The harvest took place September 15 to September 29.

Fine tannins give this wine its structure and its essence. It is a wine constructed with firmness, bringing out a dry core, allied to a more velvet character. The black fruits are developing well and the ensemble of the wine will be in perfect harmony. Drink from 2024. - ROGER VOSS

This is gorgeous. Rich, silky, bright and perky, and full of grace. A real purity to the blueberry and blackberry fruits, and soft elongated tannins. Highly recommend for its classicism. Has the austerity of 2017 but gives it real polish, and it raises its game through the palate. 19 months aging.

Graphite, wild herbs, bracken, violets and such spicy black and blue berries. The palate has impressive concentration, yet very supple, charming texture. Such impressively articulated tannin detail with very fine, long tannins and deeply integrated oak. This wine is so full of flavor and interest from start to finish. A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Needs three to four year to come around. Try in 2023 and onwards.

As you’d expect, the grand vin ratchets up the intensity. The 2017 Chateau Calon Segur is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 2% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot aged 20 months all in new barrels. This deep, inky hued 2017 boasts medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, leafy herbs, and mineral nuances. It stays tight and compact on the palate, has wonderful Saint-Estephe Cabernet character, ripe tannins, and is just a classic, balanced effort that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and evolve for 25+ years.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Calon-Ségur features warm plums, cassis, baked cherries and mulberries, earth, meats and cedar on the nose with notes of lavender and olives. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant and intense with firm, fine-grained tannins and great length, finishing minerally. This wine was aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 20 months. The blend is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.- LPB

Ripe and focused, featuring a solid core of plum and black cherry fruit, supported by a well-embedded cast iron note. Sweet tobacco, bay leaf and lavender details fill in the background while the fruit takes an encore on the finish. A very solid effort. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2034. — JM

(17.5+/20) Inky core with black-cherry rim. Ripe, dark and with a fine mineral cast to the cassis fruit, which is ripe but not sweet. Paper-fine tannins in many layers. Great ageing potential but also accessible. Deceptively accessible, suggesting lack of ageing ability, but I don't think that is the case. Cool, fresh, serious, fine cassis fruit. The finesse comes from the lack of sweetness but there's no lack of fruit. Dry, firm and very St-Estèphe, with tannin structure. But the structure is filled molecule by molecule with the fruit. It's so finely balanced. There's more firmness than in Cos but there's still excellent harmony. Opens to a hint of violets. Super-moreish and juicy even with the structure of the terroir. (JH)

The 2017 Calon Ségur is attractive, but it has not come together as well as I had hoped it would. Soft and easygoing, the 2017 is decidedly light and lacking in both depth and complexity. Red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and spice are some of the notes that develop in a soft, easygoing Calon that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Technical Director Vincent Millet and Estate Manager Laurent Dufau have done tremendous work at Calon over the last few years, but there was only so much they could do in 2017. Tasted two times. -- Antonio Galloni