“I make my wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon.” — Marquis de Ségur

Today, I'm happy to offer the 2008 & 2010 Calon Ségur Saint-Estèphe.

Aside from being one of the great wine marketing quotes of all time, the Marquis's words were also the impetus for the label's iconic heart-shaped image. While the Ségur family holdings once included Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, and Chateau Latour, today's vintages reflect the Gasqueton family's work who owned the chateau until its 2012 sale to a French group which included Jean-Pierre Moueix of Chateau Pétrus.

Established in 1147, Calon Sègur is possibly the oldest chateau in all of Saint-Estèph. The northernmost chateau of the commune (and the northernmost commune of the Médoc), Calon Ségur's sturdy style and uncompromising traditional methods have made this a trusted Bordeaux address for those regularly hunting über classic Rhône and Burgundy. While soil-inflection has slowly fallen out of favor since the early 80s push toward big ripeness, Calon Ségur always stood their ground, producing wines below 14% alcohol in even the warmest of vintages.

The soil here comprises gravel, clay, sand, and limestone, with blue, yellow, and black clay differentiating this from neighboring vineyards. 80% and 86% Cabernet Sauvignon comprise the 2008 and 2010, respectively, with small portions of Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot rounding out this Left Bank blend.