The 2020 Rauzan-Ségla is a huge, explosive wine. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, smoke and incense are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tremendous richness. With élevage, the 2020 has grown into a huge, brooding wine endowed with notable presence. There's great purity and class here. The 2020 is a powerful, brooding Rauzan-Ségla for readers who can be patient. Very patient. Tasted two times. 02/2023 The 2020 Rauzan-Ségla is all reserve and nowhere near as showy as the last few vintages. Don't be fooled though, this tightly-coiled, brilliant wine has the potential to be magnificent, but it needs time. Sweet floral, spice and cedar nuances open with a bit of coaxing, but the 2020 is in no mood to show all its cards yet. The 2020 is a super-classic Rauzan-Ségla that will delight readers in search of restrained elegance, something that is not so easy to find in Bordeaux these days.

The 2020 Rauzan-Ségla is more open on the nose than when I tasted it from barrel. Quite intense with blackberry, crushed violet, oyster shell and just a touch of pencil box. It actually pulls back a little with aeration, almost as if it is (to quote The Specials) showing too much, too young. The palate is pixelated on the entry, perfectly proportioned with seamlessly integrated oak, a silver bead of acidity. Not ostentatious in any way, but streamlined and holding something back on the finish, which bodes well for the future. This is deeply impressive. 02/2023 The 2020 Rauzan-Ségla is set to be matured in 60% new oak barrels for an intended 18 months. I left my sample for 30 minutes because, like the Ségla, it was backward and rather taciturn on the nose. It repaid a little patience with very classic scents of blackberry, crushed stone, wilted iris flowers and a hint of orange blossom. The aromatics are exquisitely delineated yet succinctly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins that support crystalline black fruit interlaced with light graphite and crustacean notes. Brimming with energy and full of tension from start to finish, this is a sophisticated and quite intellectual Margaux. It’s also flippin’ delicious.

Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Rauzan-Ségla is aging for 18 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. It has an alcohol of 13.5% and a pH of 3.74. Deep purple-black colored, aromas of blackcurrant cordial, stewed red and black plums, chocolate-covered cherries and raspberry coulis erupt from the glass, leading to an undercurrent of tar, licorice, red roses and menthol, plus a hint of unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and yet manages seriously impressive intensity, which is well-sustained throughout the mid-palate and finish. Refined and refreshing, delivering beautifully soft, silt-like tannins and bags of bright red and black fruits, it finishes with amazing length and a stunning perfume. Between this and Château Canon, Nicolas Audebert and his team have knocked it out of the park this vintage. “The mildew was our biggest challenge this year,” said Technical Director Nicolas Audebert. “It is a very heterogeneous vineyard. More than 20 different soil types. And it is true, the August rain was not the same across Bordeaux. We have 40% Merlot in the blend, like Palmer, which works well this year. The impact of the dry period was stronger on the Cabernet Sauvignon. We had very small berries. The effect of the dryness and the ripeness is there in the wine, but there is no excess of ripeness. There is a little bit of an exotic style. It could be a place where you have a mix of culture and civilization. It is generous but extremely elegant. This was a vintage where we had to fight to get it. It’s like in rugby, when you win by just one point on a rainy day. This is a special wine for me—it has the taste of victory!”

Couleur pourpre, intense et belle. Très beau nez intense, fin, subtil, frais, mûr, floral et même complexe. Moelleux en entrée de bouche, très savoureux au milieu, avec du corps, du fondant, le vin évolue nuancé dans ses appuis tanniques, vers une finale aux tannins fins, délicieuse et longue. Assemblage : 60 % cabernet sauvignon, 36 % merlot, 3 % petit verdot, 1 % cabenet franc. Degré d’alcool : 13°5.

Full-bodied and layered with velvety layers of tannins that are beautifully interspersed with ripe fruit and dark-chocolate notes. Silky and lightly chewy texture. Very long, solid finish.