1961 Château Calon

Château Calon is a 100-acre estate in the highest point of Saint-Emilion. The estate is owned and operated by Jean-Noël Boidron, whose family has owned the estate since the mid-19th century. Boidron is a former lecturer in oenology at the University of Bordeaux. The wine is up to 70% Merlot, depending on vintage, blended with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. In his 1998 book on Bordeaux Robert M. Parker Jr. rated Château Calon as a “very good” producer within the Montagne Saint-Emilion appellation.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.