| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Margaux |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Soft ruby colour, crushed raspberry fruit on the nose, fresh acidities that keep things elevated through the palate, allowing the coffee bean, liqourice, bitter almond and undergrowth to appear in waves. This is ready to drink, but still has good tannic structure and character, 55% new oak, 30hl/h yield. Harvest September 4 to 22. John Kolasa director.
The 2003 Rauzan-Ségla is a vintage that I have tasted several times and certainly constitutes one of the better Margaux. The bouquet is a little smudged with boysenberry and raspberry scents, sandalwood and sage, loose-knit with just a slight alcoholic warmth. The palate is low as you would expect, but it retains balance and it offers an attractive, liquorice-tinged finish that might lack the pedigree of other vintages, but is certainly more controlled and focused than its peers. Tasted from a bottle from my own collection. Drink 2019-2029.
I have a nagging feeling that this wine could be a lot better than it is, especially given the talent at the chateau. With an unusually high percentage of Merlot in the blend (40%, along with 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot), the 2003 exhibits an herbal, peppery, spicy nose, a dark plum/ruby color, good ripeness on the attack, a constrained, narrow mid-palate, and a moderately tannic finish. Additional stuffing, substance, and flesh would be beneficial. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 12-15. Manager John Kolasa told me the alcohol was an extremely high 13%, and that the 2005 is even higher at 13.5%.
Fascinating aromas of berry, currant and toasted oak. Crushed dark fruits. Full-bodied and chewy with plenty of berry and vanilla flavors. Slowly builds on the palate, with big velvety tannins and a long finish. This is tight and tannic needing plenty of bottle age. Best after 2011. 7,915 cases made.
Quite toasty then a slightly meaty Marmite (yeast extract) note. Noticeably oaky in the middle where the fruit is only just adequate, but it finishes fresh and firm with a powerful kick. Drink 2008-2015. Date tasted 23rd Jan 08.
The blend for the 2003 Rauzan-Segla, which has changed since I tasted it last year, is 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. About 12% press wine was used and only 47% of the crop made it into the final assemblage. It is a wine of elegance, finesse, and medium body, with sweet notes of forest floor, spice box, red currants, and sweet herb-tinged red cherries. While nicely balanced, it lacks the extra depth and overall concentration of the finest 2003s. Give it 2-4 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 12-15. Drink 2007-2022.
Remarkably, 12% press wine was added to Rauzan-Segla’s final blend. Dark ruby with purple nuances, it is an elegant, surprisingly soft, sexy, already evolved offering (a characteristic I noted in a number of Margaux offerings). Made from low yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare, with only 45% of the crop included, it is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Fragrant aromas of red and black fruits, earth, underbrush, and spice box are followed by a pure, supple, fleshy claret that lacks a bit of weight and power, but is undeniably well-balanced and seductive. If it develops more mid-palate presence, it will be an outstanding effort from this famous second-growth Margaux estate owned by the same proprietors as Chanel, of haute couture and perfume fame. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.
Tasted against Château Pichon-Baron 2003, this has a lovely Merlot-rich nose with lovely definition, notes of blackberry, cedar, tobacco and a great sense of minerality. The palate is medium-bodied, svelte in texture with fine delineation some lovely Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberry and cassis towards the finish surfeit with ripe, but not overripe fruits. A lush, feminine Rauzan-Ségla. Drink 2010-2018
A big and bold wine with loads of blackberry, tobacco and toasted oak character. Full bodied and rich with a decadent berry aftertaste. Long finish. Wild retro red.
