It is ‘a star in the appellation,’ according to Jane Anson, which would ‘make it into a new version of the 1855 classification if one ever came around’. Neal Martin calls it ‘quintessentially Saint-Estephe’. Quality is soaring at Phelan-Segur, and that is reflected in the scores it has been achieving. The terroir has always been good; the largest and best vineyard plot is adjacent to Montrose, although there is another excellent and significant section alongside Calon-Segur. While ownership changed in 2017, the steady hand of Director Veronique Dausse remained on the tiller. She has overseen an era of big improvements. In the cellar, the introduction of a larger number of small vats has enabled a much more parcel-by-parcel focussed approach to vinification. The oak regime has become much more gentle and a proportion of the wine is now vinified in neutral glass globes, the intention being to retain freshness. (NT 11/08/23)