Vincent Millet
General Manager
Working at the estate since 2006
Met by Gerda at the Château
Château Calon Ségur
3ème Grand Cru Classé en 1855
Saint-Estèphe
Gerda: Tell us about you…
Vincent Millet: I am dedicated, passionate and demanding.
Gerda: What are the main challenges you personally face, in the practice of your work?
Vincent Millet: On one hand, we do not want to be part of any trend and on the other hand we must ask ourselves the right questions regarding the climate, ecological and biodiversity-related changes.
Harvest 2021
Gerda: How did your harvest go?
Vincent Millet: It is a “winemaker vintage”. The prophylactic measures and the work done on the vineyard enabled us to harvest grapes with good maturity under the October sun.
The brand Calon Ségur today and tomorrow
G: How do your wines stand out, and are unique?
Vincent Millet: By its atypical side terroirs and its diversified geological and pedological composition. Also, by the unique heart on its label and by its desirability.
G: Which of your recent accomplishments would you like to share with your customers?
VM: Our high-precision work in the vineyard and in the cellar.
G: What future project are you currently working on?
VM:
- The wine cellar: we are thinking of cleaning and disinfection the barrels.
- The vineyard: continue our massal selections in the restructuring of the vineyard
G: How far along are your property(ies) in the “green transition”?
VM: We want to create more biodiversity on the estate. We already have 3500 meters of hedges, meadows with Natura 2000 certification, and flowery fallows.
The business
Gerda: What are your priorities in terms of business development?
Vincent Millet: Pursue and accompany the brands and their notoriety.
G: What sales support materials are available to distributors to promote your wines?
VM: We have all the classical media. We will be launching soon our first video about the Château.
G: Do you plan any releases in the near future?
VM: “The book”, a unique limited edition box containing the book of Château Calon Ségur and 5 bottles of the most beautiful years of its history.
Website & Instagram
The favorite bottle of Vincent Millet
G: If you had one bottle of your heart?
VM: Château Calon Ségur 2016. Brightness in the mouth. The precision of the tannin. Fine and elegant with a sapid finish.
The tasted wines
There has been more consistency in the quality of the vintages since Vincent took over the Château. The DNA of Calon Ségur, of the great Cabernet Sauvignons on magnificent parcels of gravel, is expressed in all its splendor and the work in the vineyard is not yet finished! It will continue until 2050. The future will be beautiful for this wine which has seduced our hearts for a long time.
Vincent did a wonderful Masterclass at the office. Here are the wines we tasted with him.
Marquis de Calon 2014: 64% merlot, 36% cabernet sauvignon
It is a very good vintage in Saint-Estèphe because the appellation received less rain than in other Bordeaux appellations. I can feel it in this beautiful second wine of Calon Ségur. The wine is open with depth. The tannins are well structured. Nice finish! A wine that is still young.
Marquis de Calon 2015: 57% merlot, 43% cabernet sauvignon
It is a more complicated vintage than 2014. Thanks to the skills of Vincent and his team, 2015 is a success at the Château. The wine is full in the middle of the mouth with a nice structure that holds until the end.
Calon Ségur 2006: 48% cabernet savignon, 33% merlot, 16% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot
This is Vincent’s first vintage. He arrived at the estate in July 2006. The harvest was done before the rain on October 8th. Bravo for this good decision which was not easy to take because it is necessary to have arguments to convince Mrs. Denise Casqueton. Magnificent deep and terroir aromas. It is the great terroir that expresses itself. On the palate, the wine has the DNA of Calon Ségur: deep and complex. It is still very young even at 15 years of age!
Calon Ségur 2016: 60% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 18% cabernet franc, 2% petit verdot
This is the first vintage in the new vat room, which has allowed us to do some inter-varietal work: the aim is not to make more first wine but to work on more precision. The wine is magnificent: straight with perfect balance, notes of chalk (great Cabernet Sauvignon). It is very deep and very stylish “Calon Ségur”. One word is right: magnificent!
Gerda BEZIADE has an incredible passion for wine and perfect knowledge of Bordeaux acquired within prestigious wine merchants for 25 years. Gerda joins Roland Coiffe & Associés in order to bring you, through “Inside La PLACE“, more information about the estates we sell.