First Time Trying "Calon Segur" 1995 – Tasting Notes
Background:
- Wine:Château Calon-Ségur 1995 (Third Growth, Saint-Estèphe)
- Blend:Bordeaux Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot)
Tasting Notes
Appearance
- Color:Ruby-red with a "pigeon blood" hue, still vibrant for its age.
Nose (Aroma)
- Initially:Tight and powerful upon opening, dominated by cedar, oak, and smoky notes, with subtle earthy undertones. Fruit and floral aromas were restrained.
- After 30 mins of decanting:Began to open up—blackcurrant, raspberry, and a savory, almost "natural wine" minerality emerged.
- After 1 hour:Evolved further with liquorice, dark chocolate, and a touch of tobacco.
Palate (Taste)
- Tannins: Softened nicely but still present (typical of aged Bordeaux).
- Acidity:Noticeably high, giving freshness but slightly dominant early on.
- Flavor Profile:Balanced but not overly complex—black fruits, earthy notes, and oak spices in harmony.
Structure & Finish
- Body:Medium-full, elegant but not heavy.
- Finish:Moderate length, ending with lingering cedar and dark fruit.
Impressions & Comparisons
- Balance:Very well-integrated—no single element overpowers (aroma, flavor, acidity all upper-medium tier).
- Lacking Distinction? In a blind tasting of Bordeaux, this might blend in—no standout "wow" factor(e.g., missing the rose petal florality sometimes associated with "Calon’s romantic charm"). — 5 months ago
[Tasted on May 2, 2025 at answer in Nashville with Jay]
Black cherry, mulberry and mandarin orange fruit, with black tea and violet notes. — 8 months ago
Medium garnet , medium garnet rim . Aromatic , and slightly funky nose , with herbal, cedar , sous bois , truffle . On the palate this is slightly strict , quite high acidity , slightly gritty tannin , mix of red and dark fruits , herbal tinges , tobacco and earthy finish . Quite linear and elegant . Perhaps slightly rustic , not particularly ambitious but classic ‘gentleman’s club’ claret. Though this is showing quite a lot of tertiary character it is still drinking well , drink now and over the next 5 or so years — 8 months ago
Flight 2 , wine 1 . Quite deep garnet , less terracotta rim . This had a whiff of oxidation about it at first which seemed to somewhat dissipate with time . Some dark spiced fruits , liquorice and menthol hints , cedar and sous bois . On the palate good ripeness and spiced dark cherry hints . Good acidity and rounded tannin . Nice length also , offering some spiced black fruits and menthol hints . Don’t think this is a pristine bottle but was enjoyable none the less , I was unsure at first if this was Napa , but coming back to it … and reading my notes , it became quite obvious . However I had this down as the Ch Montelena , not the Dominus — 10 months ago
CostCo viini — 5 years ago
Very good. Smooth & bold — 8 years ago
Chewy Cherry tobacco Yountville sourced Bordeaux like blend with long legs! Wow. More more more! — 10 years ago
+2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment) A beautiful deep ruby red color. On the nose: Expressive nose captivates with dark red fruit, espresso, chocolate, floral, menthol, sweet tobacco. Taste: rich, round, intense wine with dark cherry/blackberry, minerals, cedar, tobacco, and a peppery-pencil lead-dried herb long dry finish. YUM! A brilliant wine just entering its drinking window with time to go. — 5 months ago


Slightly medicinal notes. Dark fruit, leather, cedar, plum and bitter cherry. Soft and long. — 7 months ago
1.5 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A remarkable purplish magenta color. On the nose: very aeromatic notes of black & red berries, truffles, loamy soil, worn leather, tobacco leaf, floral, herbaceous. Taste: soft, elegant, balanced, layered mouthfeel wine with blackberry, dark plum, leather, crushed granite, dried herbs, and a spiced cedar long finish with some dusty tannins. YUM! At the start of its drinking window with 20-30 years to go, so no rush. — 9 months ago

Solid wine- dark cherry note; great aerated — 6 years ago
Tasted 6 bottles back to back with zero bottle variance. Savory, singed cedar, hoisin, and intensely aromatic. Plenty of time left. — 8 years ago
Opened an old one for Mother's Day. It decanted for an hour and it was amazing! — 10 years ago
So much structure, tannins still taught. Wished another few hours (years?) was available to breathe/age. — 11 years ago
Clear, deep ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of black currants, black plums, and cedar. On the palate, it's dry, medium acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and a pronounced intensity of primary and secondary flavors. It tastes like blackberries, eucalyptus, graphite, and black cherries with a long finish. This wine is a little off balanced (the eucalyptus flavor is a little too intense), complex, and intense. Overall, I would rate it as very good. Nellie liked it with steak. — 5 months ago
I beg to differ on my prior rating. With some airtime, this comes into its own. Places merlot on a different level. The cab franc gives this structure and presence. No rush to consume. Nice acidity and cherry compote on the mid palate. Finished luscious and moderately sweet. — 7 months ago
An exceptional, full-bodied wine. Tasted a lot of black cherry, currants, cedar, and creme de cassis. Drinking great now, but should last a long time in the cellar. — 8 months ago
Magnum! Leather, tart cherry, blackberry, cedar. Chalky tannins with bright acidity. What a treat! — 10 months ago
If this isn’t the first commercially released vintage for Whitehall Lane, it’s gotta be close to it. With the help of Durand, I was able to extract the cork intact and decanted about an hour prior to service. The 1981 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with some sediment. On the nose, the wine is surprisingly developing (still!) with a mix of ripe and desiccated fruit with brambles, tobacco, green bell peppers, leather, cocoa, earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and the structure is still firm but well integrated. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and a touch savory. What a lovely, surprising bottle! Well-stored examples can be enjoyed now and over the next 5-7 years. — 2 years ago
2015 was great vintage in Napa for Pinot Noir — 7 years ago
Taking one for the community & testing the latest release @ £115 - liking the newly embossed bottles 😁 Obviously don't drink until 2020+
🍇 85% Cab S & 15% Cab F
💨 10 hr
🍷 Dark ruby
👃 Finessed gorgeous aromas of violet, black berries, red cherry, smoke, sweet cedar & herbs w/ spice, earth, tea & minerals 😍
👄 Med body of black berry/current w/ fine dry tannins that need time w/ black tea
🎯 Med dry black/red fruits & black tea
Loaded w/ potential just lighter than the 09/11/12 more like 10/13 👍 — 8 years ago
We are having a flight from 2000 to 2004. A really delicious evening of tasting. — 10 years ago
At Hakkasan — 12 years ago
K L
So good! Really worth the treat. Perfect in every way. — 5 months ago