Chateau Rauzan Segla 2015

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Incredibly polished and silky on the palate, the wine is deep, concentrated, luscious and sexy. Even though this is just a baby in terms of its evolution, the wine already offers flowers, spice box, licorice and sweet blackberry aromas. Full bodied, with the tanninsnd structure to age for decades, the wine offers purity of fruit, energy and complexity. The finish remains with you for at least 50 seconds! This could be the best wine the estate has ever produced."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Rauzan-Ségla offers up an expressive nose of baked blackberries, kirsch, warm cassis and baked plums with hints of cigar box and tilled soil. Full-bodied, rich and expansive in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of bold red and black fruit preserves with earthy accents and a velvety texture, finishing long and lively. The blend this year is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, harvested between September 10th and October 9th, at an average yield of 40 hectoliters per hectar. It was aged for 18 months in French oak, 65% new. The alcohol is 14%, and the pH is 3.7."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Extremely aromatic with dried flowers, perfumed and sandalwood and blackcurrants. Full body, ultra-fine tannins, a gorgeous core of ripe fruit and blackcurrants and blueberries. Racy and very long. So impressive. This needs four or five years to come around but already so fine."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Structure is the watchword for this wine. With dark tannins and concentration, it obviously has long-term potential. At the same time, the black-currant fruits are ripe and full bodied, giving rich contrast to the tannins. These two elements will allow this wine to age. It will be ready to drink from 2025."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Takes a very fresh approach, with an open-knit feel to the mulled raspberry and red currant fruit. Pretty lilac, incense and singed apple wood notes underscore the fruit, while silky but persistent tannins carry the finish. Shows latent depth and precise balance, so don't let this early charm fool you, as this should unfurl beautifully in the cellar. Best from 2022 through 2040. 10,000 cases made."

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am Rand. Im Bouquet zeigt er sich zunächst mit würzigspeckigen Noten, dahinter feine Röst- und Veilchennoten. Am Gaumen überraschend kühl und filigran, satt und saftig mit einer seidigen Textur und sexy Margaux-Aromatik, ungemein geschliffen und poliert, wunderbar balanciert, schöner Spagat aus Konzentration und Feinheit. Upgrade: Kratzt an der 19/20. 18.5/20"

JANCIS ROBINSON: "63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Very refined tannins and modest Margaux finesse. A tad more concentrated than the 2016. Really rather glorious with masses of tannins."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Ein Hauch von Dörrpflaumen, reife Herzkirschen, etwas Nougat. Sehr süße Textur, frischer Säurebogen, schokoladiger Touch im Abgang, frisch strukturiert, bleibt haften, Honig im Nachhall, individueller Stil."