Château Phélan Segur 2022

Wineadvocate

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, crème de cassis, sweet berries and spices, framed by creamy new oak, the 2022 Phélan Ségur is medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with plenty of sweet fruit and chewy structuring tannin. It's a persuasive Saint-Estèphe in a more modern, extracted style. - WK 04/2023

Vinous

The 2022 Phélan Ségur was picked between 14 and 26 September, 9 out of 13 days with one plot immediately after another, using selected indigenous yeasts for around half the production. It was cropped at 28hL/ha with 14.2% alcohol at the moment, the pH is 3.8. This year contains higher Merlot (56%) due to its higher yield than Cabernet (frost and berry size). On June 20 at 8.15pm, three blocks were hit by hail that was horizontal accompanied by 25mm of rain within 10 minutes. This cost them 30% production overall. "We did less extraction at the end of the alcoholic fermentation and stopped the pumping over two days earlier at 1.010 [which without getting too technical is the Gravity of one liter of must relative to one liter of distilled water] and did more like an infusion." Aged in 55% new oak, it has an enticingly pure bouquet with blackberry and bilberry fruit, blackcurrant, iris flower and light iodine scents. Very intense and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, a liberal sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper laced over the black fruit. A quintessentially Saint-Estèphe with a structured and very persistent finish. Allowing the wine to open in the glass, it reveals impressive depth (more so than the 2019 and 2020) and precision. This will require several years in bottle, but it will certainly be worth the wait. - NM 04/2023

Beck

Phélan Ségur 2022 affiche une belle pluralité. Il est pertinent, précis et complexe. Ainsi, il commence par révéler son élevage, afin d'offrir un élément véhiculant l'ensemble olfactif. De classiques marqueurs comme le graphite, le cassis et des nuances de menthe sont présents. Aucun élément n'est dominant, donc la notion d'harmonie est déjà assurée au niveau olfactif. En bouche le vin se distingue par sa densité, sa concentration. Les tannins se révèlent en crescendo, pour finalement atteindre leur amplitude en fin de bouche. Même imposants et charnus ils affichent un grain fin, donc de l'élégance. L'acidité se manifeste à point nommé et permet de canaliser la puissance, de créer le lien entre les côtés caractériels et incisifs. Clairement Phélan Ségur reste fidèle à lui-même, donc avec un charme certain, mais il se distingue par une puissance rarement observée, parfaitement emballée. Même si l'étau se resserre encore une fois dans un environnement de crus exceptionnels, Phélan marque le coup et se projette dans des sphères non seulement convaincantes mais également réjouissantes. Je ne manquerai pas de conclure en soulignant qu'il s'agit d'un Phélan Ségur historique. Je ne sais pas si c'est le meilleur, mais c'est en tout cas le plus percutant et le plus à même de montrer l'incroyable étendue des ressources de ce cru. Il faut tirer un coup de chapeau aux équipes… et à la vigne ! - 04/2023

Suckling

Loads of fruit here. Energetic, with layers of tannins. Full-bodied. It builds at the end and opens like a butterfly. Hints of minerals and iron. Best ever? 56% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon, 2% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. - 04/2023

Dunnuck

I was lucky enough to be able to taste the 2022 Château Phélan Ségur on multiple occasions, and it always impressed, offering a deep purple hue as well as a ripe, powerful bouquet of darker currant and cassis-like fruits interwoven with leafy herbs, tobacco, and chocolate. A ripe, full-bodied, opulent wine, it has beautiful tannins, a layered, concentrated mouthfeel, and a great finish. It’s going to be as good, if not better, than the 2018 and 2019, and I continue to love what director Véronique Dausse accomplishes at this address. - 05/2023