Château Phélan Ségur

The history of the estate

An iconic Bordeaux name with Irish origins you say? This one indeed has its roots in the one also known as the Emerald Isle. A merchant named Bernard O'Phelan left his hometown of Tipperary for Bordeaux in the 18th century, then a commercial crossroads of the wine world. Following his marriage to the daughter of a wealthy merchant, he was able to acquire the Clos de Garramey in Saint-Estèphe, then the Ségur de Cabanac estate in 1810.

The Château was one of the first to break with the architectural trend of the time, which was characterized by a prestigious residence for owners far from the production sites. Here, it is quite the opposite: the wine-making cellars are at the heart of the building, only a few meters from the kitchens and reception rooms.

His son Frank then succeeded him and finished forging the prestigious image of the château. As mayor of Saint-Estèphe, he finished to ratify the name of the Château. Although already of high quality, the estate was too young to enter the mythical 1855 classification. However, today it has the stature to do so, and is even better known than some second or third classified growths.

The terroir

The Phélan Ségur vineyard covers 70 hectares in the Saint-Estèphe appellation area, bordering the Châteaux Montrose and Calon Ségur. Like many Bordeaux estates, the majority is planted with the two great grape varieties of the region: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. To these is added a small touch of Cabernet France and Petit Verdot. The latter brings spicy and blackcurrant notes to the wines. Withstanding well the heat, it is seen as a solution to global warming. The soil is also typical of the region: gravel on clay subsoil.

The vineyard of Saint-Estèphe also enjoys a particularly favorable climate. Bordering the Gironde estuary, it benefits from a micro-climate that protects it from all kinds of climatic excesses. Thus, the Château was one of the few to have been spared by the frost that ravaged 80% of the 2021 harvest.

The wines of Phélan-Ségur

In Bordeaux, the vintage effect is particularly important. No two years resemble each other perfectly, which offers a nice diversity among the vintages... and this includes the Château Phélan-Ségur cuvée, whose blend nevertheless varies quite little from one year to the next. The warm years are characterized by a greater power, aromas of slightly jammy fruits and a greater power. The cold years, on the other hand, are appreciated for their finesse and their more persistent vegetal and even mentholated notes.

The second wine of the château pays tribute to the son of the founder of the château: the Frank Phélan cuvée. With a greater proportion of Merlot, the wine is fruitier, greedier, and even in its youth, its tannins are softer than its elder.

The Château's resident chef offers ever more innovative food and wine pairings to guests and privileged visitors all year round. To be tried urgently !