It was not by chance that Bernard O’Phelan (1770-1841), a young Irish wine merchant, left his native town of Tipperary at the end of the 18th century to set himself up in Bordeaux. The town at this time was an important trading hub with the British Isles. Close relations were built up between the families that bought and sold the wines of the region from one another. These links were such that they led to alliances and even marriages, in particular that of Bernard Phélan with one of the daughters of Daniel Guestier, a well-known merchant in the Bordeaux wine market. Helped by the experience of his father-in-law, he could now envisage producing his own wines.
The vineyard of Château Phélan Ségur covers 70 hectares of magnificent clay-gravels on the hillocks and plateaux of Saint-Estèphe. Made up of four large sections, the parcels adjoin the vineyards of Châteaux Montrose and Calon Ségur, among others. The planting density is high. The mix of grape varieties is original: the talented duo of the Médoc (58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 39% Merlot) are complemented by a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (1.5% of each). Cabernet Sauvignon, the king of Médoc grape varieties, brings incomparable power and structure: it is the backbone of the Grand Vin.
