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Château Ségur de Cabanac, Saint-Estèphe

Bordeaux, France 2012 (750mL)
$34.00
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Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
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Château Ségur de Cabanac, Saint-Estèphe

Our love for Bordeaux keeps growing: How could it not when there are so many exceptional value-for-dollar gems like this one from Château Ségur de Cabanac? For a wine with very little exposure outside of Europe, it nevertheless nails the classic style of Saint-Estèphe—so imagine our shock when we found out this combination of producer and vintage was nowhere to be found in America. When its price was revealed after our tasting, there was no doubt we had to import a ton (I wish) of this.
If you’re eager to try an absolute classic representation of Saint-Estèphe, a Bordeaux that is a beauty to drink now or in 5-10 years, place your bets on Château Ségur de Cabanac. The winemaking is managed by Eric Boissenot, who serious vinophiles may know as “Bordeaux’s secret weapon”—he consults at four of the five First Growths (Latour, Margaux, Lafite, Mouton). You’re not only getting a wine touched by the skillful hand of a top Bordelais talent, but one sourced from prime real estate: Calon Ségur is a few thousand feet away, Montrose is a mile south, and Ségur de Cabanac’s vineyards are flirting with both of them. If you subscribe to the concept of terroir, this wine is a must-buy. And for those who are simply looking for superior-quality wine to drink at an affordable price, look no further. We were eager to supply you with Ségur de Cabanac the moment we tasted it in Bordeaux and now it’s finally here to enjoy. Don’t be shy—I bought enough to supply up to a case per customer, and our SommSelect team!
Guy Delon purchased Château Ségur de Cabanac in 1985 and now his offspring manage the estate—they represent the family’s seventh winemaking generation in Bordeaux. Impressive as that is, it doesn’t hold a candle to the original owners, who can trace their history in this region back to the 1500s. The Ségur family held several political positions throughout Médoc townships and for a time, one of their descendants—Nicolas-Alexandre—held vineyard ownership at the esteemed châteaux of Lafite, Mouton, Latour, Montrose, Pontet-Canet, and Calon Ségur. He was even referred to as “Prince of Vines” by King Louis XV. Needless to say, a bottle of Château Ségur de Cabanac is ripe with history and prestige. 

The château’s 17 acres—with vines that average 30 years of age—are planted on gravel and clay on a ridge that commands a view of the Gironde Estuary. Their vines are farmed sustainably, seeing manual leaf thinning, regular plowing of the soil, and a hand harvest. In order to extract the most concentration and flavor, the grapes underwent a 3+ week maceration in eight stainless steel vats and then saw oak aging (30% new) for 20 months. The wine was racked (transferred into another barrel to remove sediment and oxygenate) seven times and the final blend was 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Before bottling, it was lightly fined with egg whites. 

In the glass, Ségur de Cabanac’s 2012 reveals an opaque garnet-purple core leading out to ruby highlights on the rim. The nose brims with high-toned flowers and dark fruits like black currant, dried violet, black cherry liqueur, and red wildflowers. Following lockstep are the classic notes that brought Bordeaux fame: leather, bay leaf, crushed gravel, wet clay, tobacco, cigar box, and a subtle assortment of baking spices. The palate reveals an intense wine of serious concentration supported by a supple underpinning of acid and structured tannins. This is the epitome of Saint-Estèphe in 2012—incredibly balanced with mineral-driven components and dark-fruited layers that meld into a smooth, long-lasting finish. Since the wine is made in an accessible style, it’s already a joy to drink today, but if you stash a few bottles over the next decade, it will progressively reward you. When consuming, decant for 30-60 minutes and serve in Bordeaux stems around 65 degrees. As with classic Left Bank Bordeaux, treat this with a slow (seven hours) roasted lamb. It takes a while, but isn’t much work for you—drink a glass while you wait! 
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Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Sub-Region
FranceSaint-Estèphe
Soil
Gravel & Clay
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Merlot 40%
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
30% New French
TEMP.
65
Glassware
Bordeaux Stem
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
30-60 Minutes
Pairing
Seven Hour Lamb

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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