Chateau Rauzan Segla 2021

ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 2021 Rauzan-Ségla is absolutely gorgeous. It offers up scents of graphite, savory herbs, licorice, chocolate and plum, all beautifully lifted by strong Cabernet Sauvignon inflections. Naturally, the 2021 doesn't have the mid-palate richness and overall intensity of recent years. Readers will find a tightly wound Margaux that balances classic structure with modern-day precision. I can't wait to see how it ages. Tasted four times."

DECANTER: "A showstopper of a wine for me in 2021. Wonderful aromatic intensity on the nose filled with perfumed fruits, chocolate and wild flowers. Gorgeous clarity and precision, the tannins are fine and powdery supporting the vibrant and energetic purple and black fruit; zingy blackcurrant, strawberry, cherry and plum with an overall creamy chalky texture and grip. Elegant and glamorous - so much styling on show, it feels polished and pristine with clear markings from the terroir but no harshness or austerity just great acidity and liveliness. Such mouthwatering salivation and lift at the end making you want another glass just to taste it again. Tasted twice and both times I loved it. Pure and precise with everything you want from a 2021. A yield of 38hl/ha. Ageing 18 months, 60% new barrels."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine dunkle Beerenfrucht, zart nach Cassis und Lakritze, reife Pflaumen, kandierte Orangenzesten, Edelholz. Komplex, saftig und elegant, reife Herzkirschen, feiner Säurebogen, harmonisch und mit Länge ausgestattet, sicheres Reifepotenzial."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A firm and linear wine with crushed stone and some citrusy acidity, Medium body, creamy tannins and a fresh finish, Lively at the end. Currant, blackberry and fresh tobacco in the aftertaste. 75% cabernet sauvignon."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot. Cask sample. Pretty solid crimson. Much more complex nose than the Rauzan-Gassies. Sweet start and very polished tannins. A saline note adds interest. No sign of oak. The finish is impressively long and interesting without any dryness nor any excess of acidity. Very well judged and very Margaux though the opposite of concentrated or flashy. Complete and already relatively accessible."

JEB DUNUCK: "One of the undeniable successes is the 2021 Château Rauzan-Ségla, which emerges from yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare and is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. It has remarkable depth and density as well as classic aromas of cassis, tobacco, spicy oak, and subtle floral notes. These all carry to a medium-bodied, concentrated 2021 with polished tannins and a great finish. It's one classy, seamless, elegant Margaux that will drink well right out of the gate yet keep for 20 years."

LISA PEROTTI-BROWN: "The 2021 Rauzan-Segla is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, aging 18 months in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little closed to begin, delivering subtle notes of cassis, raspberry leaves, and mulberries with hints of fallen leaves, cinnamon stick, and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly knit with black and red berry layers and a grainy texture, finishing with good intensity on a lingering mineral note."

NEAL MARTIN: "According to Nicolas Audebert, the 2021 Rauzan Ségla has a reduced proportion of Merlot, as a consequence of which it was felt that the Petit Verdot crowded out the final blend and was thus demoted to the Deuxième Vin. Matured in 60% new oak for an intended 18 months, it has a surprisingly opulent bouquet with conspicuous Merlot that has the hubris to vie for attention with the Cabernet. Very pure and well-defined, this gains intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very finely chiseled tannins, displaying disarming purity and poise. Minerally on the finish, with just the faintest hint of dark chocolate on the aftertaste. Precision, precision, precision."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "With a nice richness to the color, the wine opens with lilies, roses, coffee bean, Indian spice and black plums. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, elegant, refined and silky. There is freshness and energy, along with a nice sweetness to the fruits. There is a touch of chalk at the backend of the finish. You will be able to enjoy this in its youth, which is not always the case here with this age-worthy Margaux. The wine was produced from blending 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, 13% ABV. The harvest took place September 20 to October 8. Drink from 2025-2050."

THE WINEADVOCATE: "Representing around 44% of the estate's production (more or less as usual), the 2021 Rauzan-Ségla unwinds in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, blackberries, loamy soil, dark chocolate and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively concentrated, it's layered and seamless, with a sweet core of fruit, powdery tannins, lively acids and an impressively penetrating finish. The Rauzan team opted to ferment Merlot rather cooler than normal this year to moderate extraction. Tasted six times."