Chateau Rauzan Segla 2017

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Granat mit rubinrotem Rand. Ein erhabenes schwarzbeeriges Bouquet mit Anklängen an Waldhimbeeren, Palisander und Nougatpralinen. Im zweiten Ansatz Zwetschgenmus, Holundergelee und dunkles Edelholz. Am Gaumen mit ungeheurer Konzentration und atemberaubender Finesse, der reife Extrakt ist perfekt in das kakaoartige Tannin eingebettet und die Textur ist butterweich. Im gebündelten, nicht enden wollenden Finale schnellt der Wein wie ein 100 m Sprinter auf den letzten Metern nach vorne und endet mit kleinen zerstossenen schwarzen Beeren und Brazil-Tabak. Grandiose Leistung, damit geht es einen halben Punkt nach oben!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "One of the top wines of the appellation, this gorgeous, soft, polished, silky, fresh, charmer comes with loads of ripe, lush, sweet fruit. The entry is soft, clean and fresh. The mid-palate and finish leave with the impression of ripe, dark red and black, elegantly style fruits. This could take at least a decade before it starts showing its best."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This is a powerful, dense wine. Tannins come through strongly as does the dynamic black fruit. Likely to develop slowly, the wine's concentration is impressive. Drink from 2024."

JEB DUNNUCK: "This estate continues to fashion a complex, elegant, seamless style of wine. The 2017 Chateau Rauzan-Segla offers a deep purple color as well as gorgeous notes of cassis, crushed violets, tobacco, and leafy herbs. Pure Margaux on the palate with its medium to full-bodied, ultra-fine, seamless texture, this flawlessly balanced 2017 will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20-25 years. The blend is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, all aged in 60% new French oak."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Rauzan-Ségla leaps from the glass with fragrant exotic spices and dried herbs over a core of blackberries, warm cassis and redcurrant jelly with hints of lavender and crushed stones. Medium-bodied, fine, fresh and elegant, it has soft, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing with an herbal lift."

JAMES SUCKLING: "There’s a very balanced feel to this wine with ripe blueberries and red plums, as well as dried flowers. The palate has a supple, smooth build of rich, blueberry and cassis flavor and a long, fine-tannin finish. A blend of 62% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot and 2% petit verdot. Drink or hold."

DECANTER: "Cinnamon, saffron, black truffles, toasted oak, cedar and damson; this is definitely a pretty sexy take on the vintage. No doubt the extraction had to be extremely carefully handled to get here, and they have done a good job with it. Feels like it has taken on weight during ageing without going too far. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040"

WINE SPECTATOR: "Inviting, with seductive damson plum, red currant, blackberry and black cherry puree flavors layered together, stitched with dried anise, sandalwood and black tea threads. Very fine acidity flows underneath, carrying this through a suave and lengthy finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2035."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Only mid crimson. Good combination of energy, freshness, ripeness and interest on the nose. This is real wine and classic Margaux with zest and delicacy but with just the right amount of light tannins for the relatively light fruit. Long and classic."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, zart vegetal unterlegte rote Kirschenfrucht, florale Nuancen, verhaltenes Bukett. Mittlerer Körper, rotbeerige Textur, zarte Tannine, frischer Säurebogen, zitronig-mineralischer Abgang, bald antrinkbar."