Tasted from an ex-chateau bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London. I praised the 2008 Calon Segur when I tasted it blind in 2012 and I have no reason to change my opinion three years later. Here it has a surprisingly deep hue for a 2008. The nose is very detailed and lively, more breezy and carefree than the 2009 with vivacious blackberry, cedar and graphite scents. The palate is medium-bodied and slightly brittle in texture on the entry. The acidity is beautifully judged here with superb balance: smooth and harmonious, though it just tapers in towards the edgy, maybe angular finish. This has a sense of joie-de-vivre perhaps not common in Calon-Ségur's wines. It is one of the best Left Bank wines in 2008 and given its price, one of its best values. Tasted March 2015.

Very pretty spicy aromas, with currant and blackberry. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a delicate velvety texture. Balanced and easy, with a medium finish. 80 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 percent Merlot and 2 percent Petit Verdot. This is much more Cabernet than normal. Score range: 88-91 -JS

Deep purple, pure, rich and aromatic blackcurrant fruit with a touch of wild roses, extremely elegant, harmonious with immense charm and sufficient depth to last a long time. The Lafite of Saint-Estephe.