Calon-Ségur St-Estèphe 2001

94 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "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. Drink: 2021-2045. (Sep 2021)"

92 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2001 Calon-Ségur was comprised of fully forty-seven percent merlot, which is too bad, as it might have been even finer with a higher percentage of cabernet sauvignon in the blend. That said, this is a very strong bottle from this era and I have little doubt that it will ultimately surpass the more highly-touted, but currently far more closed 2000 vintage at this property. The bouquet offers up a very promising blend of red and black cherries, cigar smoke, dried eucalyptus, gravel, cigar ash and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a classic claret profile, firm, ripe tannins, excellent focus and balance and a very long, youthful and potentially superb finish. This should prove to be one of the strongest vintages produced in the more merlot-centric style at Calon-Ségur during the stretch from 1975 to 2005. 2022-2050+. (Jan/Feb 2014)"

89-92 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "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. (May/Jun 2002)"

90 points Robert Parker: "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). (Jun 2004)"

90 points Wine Spectator: "Elegant and spicy, with blackberry and earth character. Medium- to full-bodied, with silky tannins and a medium to long finish... outstanding. Best after 2006. (3/31/04)"