2022 Chateau Rauzan-Segla - 2eme Cru Margaux

Decanter.com – 97 pts – GH: *Gorgeously fragranced on the nose with perfumed black fruits and pink flowers - smells very Margaux. Clean and crisp, a beautiful precision from the start with ripe and rich fruit but cool fresh acidity and sleek, fine tannins. A little shy, still compact and tightly knitted, but lovely detail, so well worked, almost delicate but there's still quite fleshy, plush fruit. Excellent concentration but delivered with an easy sleight of hand, expanding with time in the glass. Glamorous, scented, inviting, deep and seductive. A brilliant and totally moreish wine. Yield of 30hl/ha. 3.7pH. 17% press wine. Harvest 2-28 September. Ageing in French oak for 14-16 months, 15% new. In organic conversion. Tasted twice.* - 04/2023

Falstaff Magazin – 98 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Frische Kirschen, zart nach Cassis, ein Hauch von Nugat und Pflaumen, feine Edelholzwürze und Orangenzesten, einladendes Bukett. Komplex, saftig, reife Frucht, feine Extraktsüße, feiner Säurebogen, elegant und sehr lang anhaftend, mineralisch, schokoladiger Abgang, lange und voller vielversprechender Zukunft, zeigt Balance und Delikatesse.* - 01/2023

WeinWisser – 19+/20pts – GL, TW: *72 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 % Merlot, 2 % Petit Verdot, 30 hl/ha, pH 3.7, 14.5 Vol.-%. Dicht verwobenes Bouquet, verführerischer Irisduft, Wildkirsche und Estragon, dahinter edle Cassiswürze und Graphit. Am komplexen, durchtrainierten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, balancierter Rasse und engmaschigem Tanningerüst. Im konzentrierten, sehr straffen Finale Johannisbeere, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze und erhabene Adstringenz gepaart mit pfeffrigem Extrakt. Ein klassischer Rauzan-Ségla mit hohem Lagerpotenzial, der noch zulegen kann.* – 04/2023

JancisRobinson.com – 18+/20pts – JR: *72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 18 months in 50% new barrels. Cask sample. Very deep glowing crimson. Broad, welcoming nose with fragrant top note. This is more obviously Margaux than the Ségla. Gentle and sweet but with a massive charge of tannin underneath. Very subtle and mineral, tense and contained. There will obviously be some opulence eventually but not for some time! Dry, neat, very persistent finish for the moment. Very concentrated.* - 04/2023

Vinous.com – (95-97) pts – AG: *The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is a rich, opulent wine that very much reflects the nature of this radiant, dry year. Super-ripe dark plum, cassis, chocolate, gravel, cloves and new leather build as the 2022 shows off its unabashedly opulent personality. Even with all of its intensity, the 2022 retains tons of persistence and energy. It's a fabulous wine in this tricky vintage. Tasted three times.* - 04/2023

Vinous.com – (95-97) pts – NM: *The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla was picked 2 to 28 September at 30hL/ha and matured for 18 months in 50% new oak. Nicolas Audebert told me that it contains 17% /vin de presse/ which is slightly higher than normal, a combination of 150 separate vinifications. This has a very opulent bouquet with layers of black cherries, créme de cassis and violets. Perhaps just a little too decadent? The palate is medium-bodied with fine balance, grainy tannins, very pure and focused with quite a minerally finish. Long in the mouth. It's just missing that knockout blow at the moment, yet it's still a supremely well-crafted Margaux.* - 04/2023

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (96-98) pts – JL: *Dark in color, the array of floral notes shoot out with violets, lilacs, and roses. From there you find truffle, red and black fruits, cigar box and cedar also come through in the nose. While the perfume is catchy, it is on the palate where the wine takes off. Texturally, the wine is drenched in velvet. There is intensity, richness, and concentration, as well as weightlessness on the palate. With this wine, the seamless finish must be felt, as well as tasted. The wine is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot. This marks the highest percentage of Cabernet in the blend and with 17% press wine in the blend, it is the highest portion of press wine as well. 14.5% ABV, 3.7 pH. The harvest took place September 2 - September 28. This is the earliest start to a harvest for Rauzan Segla. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. Drink from 2027-2065.* - 05/2023