The 2001 Calon-Ségur has a delightful bouquet, very pure and a little more vivacious than the preceding vintage, featuring lovely brambly red fruit, rose petals, autumn leaves and a touch of cigar box, all well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a little more cohesive than the 2000, and slightly granular in texture, with a graceful, elegant and quite persistent finish. This is one of the few châteaux where it's difficult to choose between the 2001 and 2000. Drinking perfectly now.

Bright full ruby. Vibrant, fruit-driven aromas of blackberry, licorice, minerals and flowers. Precise, fruit-driven flavors similar to the aromas. Dense but lively, with an enticing floral quality. Finishes long and ripely tannic, with lovely sweetness and grip. A very classy wine in the making.

I suspect this 2001 will shut down (as most young Calon-Segurs do), although it appears more forward and evolved than the huge, backward, but totally dormant 2000. The plum/ruby-colored 2001 reveals aromas of damp earth, cranberries, cherries, herbs, and forest floor. While lighter than its older sibling, it is medium-bodied, elegant, and should emerge from its post-bottling sleep in 4-5 years, and drink well for 14-15. Think of it as a lighter-weight 1988 (one of the stars of the vintage).

Lively, healthy crimson. Dense, dry, but the palate is filled with ripe fruit. Very true to its origins. Sandy, fine-grained tannins. Very, very correct. No artifice but very dry finish. (JR)