2021 Rauzan Segla
Buying options
Tasting notes
Ch. Rauzan-Ségla is a star of Margaux in 2021. In a year of endless challenges, the team here – led by the talented Nicolas Audebert – triumphed against the odds. For them, the key was meticulous management of the vineyard through the growing season and sorting of the fruit at harvest. The resulting wine is 13.5% – vibrant, precise and pure, with an aristocratic profile thanks to the 75% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. The nose has menthol and herbal aromas alongside cassis notes and charred ash tones from the oak. The fruit is distinctly fresh in character, with pristine blackcurrant. Given the cooler year, it’s not as full-bodied as is typical of the estate but is very elegant throughout. The tannins are resolved and supple, with a long, perfumed finish. The team chaptalised some parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon but didn’t use any saignée. The wine is being matured in 60% new oak; the team felt it was important to extract the harshest tannins from the barrels with hot water and steam before filling, given the more delicate style of the year. Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot
Critic scores
Average Score
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Perfumed in a nice Margaux way. Polished and assured. Clean and both sweet and a little saline. I’d happily drink this tonight. Beautifully balanced. Long. (JR)
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot. Fresh and cassis on the nose. A complete, refined wine without much luscious fruit. A bit rigid but correct. Food please! (JR)
One of the best in the vintage, the 2021 Château Rauzan-Ségla has beautiful cassis and red currant-like fruit that gives way to notes of tobacco, cedar pencil, and hints of flowers. It's medium-bodied, has a supple, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's a gorgeous 2021 that has an almost Château Lafite-like sense of balance and elegance. Readers will love drinking bottles over the coming 15-20 years. The 2021 is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, hitting 13.5% natural alcohol (pH 3.72), which was brought up in 60% new French oak.
About the producer
The Chanel group purchased Margaux Second Growth Ch. Rauzan-Ségla in 1994. Under the iconic fashion house’s ownership and – since 2014 – the guidance of winemaker Nicolas Audebert, the estate has seen significant investment and rapidly become one of Bordeaux’s most desirable.