Château Calon Ségur

Château Calon Ségur traces its documented history to 1147 when it was owned by Monseigneur de Calon, a local bishop. In the 18th century, the property became part of the extensive holdings of Nicolas Alexandre, the Marquis de Ségur, who also owned Châteaux Lafite and Latour. The estate was managed by the Gasqueton family for over a century, from 1894 until 2012. It was then sold to the insurance group Suravenir, a subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, which initiated a major renovation of the winemaking facilities and the château buildings.

The 55 hectare vineyard is the northernmost classified growth in the Médoc and is entirely enclosed by a stone wall. The terroir consists of a thick layer of gravel deposited during the Quaternary period over a predominantly clay subsoil. This composition creates a relatively cool microclimate where grapes often reach maturity later than in other parts of the appellation. Technical director Vincent Millet manages the estate with a focus on parcel by parcel vinification using 70 conical stainless steel vats. The Grand Vin is aged for approximately 20 months in 100 percent new French oak, and the estate is currently increasing its Cabernet Sauvignon plantings to further emphasize that variety in its blends.

Classified as a Third Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux classification, the estate is recognized by the heart shape on its label. This design originates from a statement attributed to the Marquis de Ségur, who said that while he made wine at Lafite and Latour, his heart remained at Calon. The property produces three wines, including the Grand Vin, a Merlot dominant second wine named Le Marquis de Calon Ségur, and a third wine titled Saint Estèphe de Calon Ségur. The wines are noted for their significant aging potential and a structural profile that has become more precise and refined following recent modernizations.