Chateau Rauzan Segla 2001

DECANTER: "I love this wine and it totally stands up today, as it has done every time I've tasted it recently - it's pretty much the most drinkable vintage in this lineup. It's so balanced and deliciously elegant yet fleshy, still youthful and full of black pepper and saffron spices. The juicy, elegant fruits are full of flavour and are very much in the signature of Rauzan Ségla. The smoky edge just gets better and better in the glass, and gives it that gulpable sapidity. Harvested 28 September to 11 October, giving a yield of 46hl/ha. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "A huge, powerful, dense wine, which layers pure black fruits over dusty tannins. This is an impressive wine, proof of Rauzan-Ségla's improvements since Chanel took over ownership. It is packed with fruits, like an intense jelly, but also has dryness, acidity and good aging potential."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet-brick colored, the 2001 Rauzan-Ségla rolls out of the glass with open, expressive, mature notes of potpourri, star anise, incense and cigar box with a pretty core of kirsch, redcurrant jelly and dried figs. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers mature spice and dried berry layers with a light grip of chewy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing with a peppery kick. The blend this year is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, harvested between September 28 and October 11 at an average yield of 46 hectoliters per hectare. It was aged for 18 months in French oak, 50% new. The alcohol is 12.5%."

WEINWISSER: "Mittleres Granat-Purpur. Feingliedriges, rotbeeriges Bouquet, Maulbeeren, rotes Cassis, reife Pflaumen, weich, elegant-süss im Ansatz. Saftiger, fein gegliederter Gaumen, seidig wirkende Gerbstoffe, jetzt schon ausgeglichener Körper, dem Wein eine wunderschöne Noblesse gebend, im Finale helle Edelhölzer und eine verführerische Margaux-Süsse, kann sogar noch zulegen."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Quite dark crimson. Scented, really very aromatic and Margaux-ish. A little sweetness at the beginning. Heavier than some. Still quite a bit of chew."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Medium/full bodied, finesse styled wine that began offering its charms up with an hour of air. The tobacco, sweet cherry, earth, plum and floral tones in the nose was the perfect accompaniment to the fresh, soft, polished, dark, red fruit filled finish."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Beautiful aromas of spices, berries and plums follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with very fine tannins and a pretty, delicious finish. All in finesse. Best after 2008. 9,165 cases made."