Fighting off the Monday blues by dreaming of my sips in Ireland and that fabulous wine cellar. One of the bottles I pulled out to taste was Château Calon-Ségur Saint-Estèphe Grand Cru Classé 1990.

Calon-Ségur is one of the oldest properties in the Médoc (in Bordeaux, for those not familiar)—dating back to the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, the estate was turned over to the Marquis de Ségur, who also owned Chateau Lafite and Chateau Latour (ooOooOooo fancy). Despite the highly coveted reputation of the others, he famously said, “I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon.” Thanks to that, you can see a large heart around the estate’s name on the label.

Located in the north of the St-Estèphe appellation, this historic Third Growth winery got its name from the small river boats, or “calons,” that were used to ferry timber across the Gironde River estuary, which the Calon-Ségur vines overlooked. The vineyards are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with about 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and some Petit Verdot. The vines grow in deep gravel beds mixed with sand, and in parts, clay and limestone.

Even though I pulled the wine out of a climate-controlled cellar, I was curious to see if it was still drinkable. The wine was a pale garnet and had a bit of sediment. Upon inspection, the aroma was on the faint side—a bit of dried black fruit, leather, and herbs (which also matched the palate). The wine tasted very dry and tannic. There wasn’t much complexity going on—it felt like one note. It had a short to medium finish. Not the best older vintage I’ve ever had, but definitely worth tasting!

What’s the oldest wine you’ve tried?