Frank Phélan

History

The history of Château Phélan Ségur is linked to that of a young Irishman, Bernard Phelan, a wine broker, who left his native land at the end of the 18th century to settle in Bordeaux. In 1805, he acquired the Clos de Garamey located in Saint Estèphe and completed his first acquisition with the purchase of the Ségur de Cabanac estate in 1810. Upon his death, Château Ségur de Garamey was passed on to his son who devoted his life to raising the reputation and quality of the wines produced.

The Château changed owners several times afterwards, and became the property of Xavier Gardinier in 1985. Xavier Gardinier runs the property with his sons and has undertaken restoration work to give the property the lustre of its past. After more than thirty years at the head of the property, the Gardinier family passed the reins of the estate to Philippe Van de Vyvere. This great wine enthusiast is fulfilling one of his most cherished dreams by taking over this prestigious vineyard.

Terroir & Vinification

The complexity of the Saint-Estèphe terroir, of which Château Phélan Ségur is a perfect illustration, is an important element. The surface of the vineyard is 70 hectares. There, the grape varieties are 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc and 1.5% Petit Verdot. The average age of the vineyard is 35 years. Under the leadership of the vineyard manager – Luc Peyronney – we practice viticulture that respects our land and the winemakers. We are also committed to the preservation of biodiversity: we want to protect the native fauna and flora in our vineyard and natural areas (meadows, forests, park, pond) and we are currently replanting several hundred trees and hedges.

Fabrice Bacquey, Cellar Master, preserves the noble raw material that is the grape. He has to respect the style of the property by expressing the best of the vintage. With the precious help of Michel Rolland, oenologist consultant, some batches are called to enter the assembly of the Grand Vin of Château Phelan Ségur, others are intended for the second wine Frank Phelan.

Tasting

On tasting, Frank Phelan shows many similarities with its big brother, in terms of power and balance but above all with an aromatic bouquet typical of the wines of St. Estephe. Made from a selection of 15 hectares of old vines and vines less than 10 years old, the wine is aged in barrels for 14 months.

Their Team

• Owner: Philippe Van de Vyvere
• General Manager : Véronique Dausse
• Head of Culture : Luc Peyronney
• Cellar Master : Fabrice Bacquet