Chateau Rauzan-Ségla Margaux 2019

Château Rauzan-Ségla traces its origins to 1661, when Pierre de Rauzan acquired the estate that would eventually be divided into several important Margaux properties. Rauzan-Ségla was classified as a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification and historically ranked among the leading wines of the Médoc. After a period of uneven quality during the 20th century, the estate entered a major renaissance when the Wertheimer family, owners of Chanel, purchased it in 1994 and began extensive investment in the vineyards and cellar. Nicolas Audebert has directed the estate since 2014.

The estate farms approximately 70 hectares on a complex mosaic of deep gravel, fine gravel, clay and sandy clay soils throughout Margaux. Cabernet sauvignon dominates the better drained gravel parcels, while merlot is particularly suited to sections with greater clay content. Vineyard work is carried out on a highly detailed parcel and even intra parcel basis, with hand harvesting and manual sorting. The estate subsequently moved through organic conversion and achieved organic certification with the 2024 vintage, building on a broader emphasis on soil health, biodiversity and increasingly precise vineyard management.

The 2019 Rauzan-Ségla is 62% cabernet sauvignon, 35.5% merlot, 2% petit verdot and 0.5% cabernet franc. Each parcel was harvested and vinified separately, with gravity fed transfer into temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The finished wine underwent 18 months of élevage in French oak barrels, 60% new, with medium to medium long toast. Traditional barrel racking and egg white fining were used before bottling. The warm, dry 2019 summer was followed by beneficial September rainfall, allowing the cabernet sauvignon to complete its ripening while retaining freshness and producing a vintage notable for both concentration and finesse.

The 2019 is deeply aromatic, with blackcurrant, morello cherry and dark plum joined by violet, iris, rosemary, graphite and subtle cedar. The palate is concentrated yet unusually silky, with fine grained tannins, fresh acidity and a long, layered finish. It has the power and structure for extended aging, but the floral character and polished texture give it the elegance traditionally associated with top Margaux.