Château Rauzan-Segla 2018

Special Price $138.95 Average US Price $185.00
In Stock   Usually ships in 2-5 days, weather permitting
SKU
4804-2018
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Other Vintages We Offer:

• Domaine: Château Rauzan-Ségla
• Appellation: Margaux
• Classification: Second Growth, 2ème Grand Cru Classé
• Origin: Left Bank, Bordeaux, France

The wines of Château Rauzan-Ségla have captivated the minds and seduced the hearts of many for the greater part of three centuries. The American President and oenophile Thomas Jefferson was a fan of this beguiling Margaux estate and ordered several cases during his well-documented visit to Bordeaux in 1784.   Château Rauzan-Ségla was delineated as a 2nd Growth during the 1855 Classification, yet many will claim the wines from Rauzan-Ségla have a shot of standing up to the First Growth producers in terms of quality and sophistication during select vintages.  In the 1980s and early 90s, American wine critic Robert Parker Jr lamented that Rauzan-Ségla was not delivering on its potential.  That was bound to change.

Prior to the 1855 Classification, Château Rauzan-Ségla was a massive estate with sweeping grounds in both Margaux and Cantenac.  They were carved up into four smaller estates – Château Rauzan-Gassies, Château Desmirail, Château Marquis de Terme and the incomparable Château Rauzan-Ségla.  Ownership of the estate changed hands throughout the centuries until it was acquired by the Wertheimer family of the iconic women’s fashion brand, Chanel.  The family took the quality of Château Rauzan-Ségla to new heights and hired a winemaking team led by Château Latour’s David Orr and John Kolasa.  Since the Wertheimer family acquired the estate, the wines of Rauzan-Ségla have become more promising with each consecutive vintage.  The present winemaker Nicolas Audebert brings his skill from Möet Chandon and believes in producing wines that will last for decades.

Château Rauzan-Ségla is proof that great wine is a product of both exceptional terroir and winemaking technique.  With its gently sloping vineyards and mixture of soils, Château Rauzan-Ségla has arguably some of the best terroir in all of Margaux.  Nothing is left to chance at this estate, and the winemaking team carefully assesses the optimum terroirs to plant the vines.  Multiple clones of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot are planted in different parcels on the estate depending on the soil.  Merlot is planted on the vineyard sites with bluish clay and Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in the more graveled areas of the 79-hectare vineyard.   Berries are tasted individually for ripeness and then picked and vinified parcel by parcel.  The weather is fairly moderate due to the proximity of the Gironde.  Regardless, adaptability is key here, and the team of expert vignerons must pivot during extreme weather conditions in this ever-changing environment.  With the help of cutting-edge winemaking technology and expertise in the field, the Rauzan-Ségla team navigates the capricious weather and delivers consistently excellent wines.

There is an ethos of elegance at Château Rauzan-Ségla, and it permeates nearly every facet of the estate and its wines.  If one is fortunate enough to visit the Château, one will marvel at the richly furnished interior designed by the incomparable Karl Lagerfeld.  Just a sip of one of Rauzan-Ségla’s opulent wines is enough to envelop the drinker in a whirlwind of sophistication.  The grand vin, Rauzan-Ségla, promises a delightfully rich journey with the beautiful aroma of cigar box that is signature to the estate.  The sister wine, Ségla, is friendly, fresh and succulent.  It possesses some of the intensity of Rauzan-Ségla, but is a much more approachable wine that begs to be enjoyed immediately. 

Tasting Notes

"The 2018 Rauzan-Ségla is fabulous. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 offers tremendous depth and soaring intensity. Super-ripe red cherry, cedar, tobacco, mint and spice all build over time, framed by incomparably silky, polished tannins. Today, the 2018 is dense and packed. I expect it will develop into a stunning Margaux in another 10-15 years or so. Actually, it already is." - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, Ratings: 97+

"The 2018 Rauzan-Ségla is blended of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from September 27 to October 11; Merlot from September 13-27; Cabernet Franc on September 28; and Petit Verdot from September 28-29. The wine has 14% alcohol and aging is anticipated to be 18 months in barriques, 65% new. Deep purple-black in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of warm plums, crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and candied violets with hints of mocha, Indian spices and fragrant earth plus a waft of crushed rocks. Full-bodied, multilayered and sporting a lot of freshness and tension in the mouth in spite of all its decadent perfumed black fruits, it has a firm, finely grained frame and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Seduction in a glass." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, Ratings: (97-99)+


More Information
Stock Status In Stock
Appellation Margaux
Vintage 2018
Delivery Timeline 3-6 months
Brand Château Rauzan-Segla
Shipping Weight 3.000000

 

Margaux is well known for its prime location in the Haut-Médoc subregion on the Left Bank along the Gironde estuary, which provides a temperate maritime climate and ideal conditions for grape cultivation. The cultivation of vines and wine production in Margaux can be traced back to Roman times. However, during the Middle Ages, the wine industry in Bordeaux began to take shape, and centuries later, Margaux continued to build its reputation as a premier wine appellation throughout the 20th century. 

Margaux is known for its diverse and complex terroir, with gravelly, sandy, and clay-rich soils. The gravelly soils provide excellent drainage and heat retention, particularly favorable for the ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, the primary grape variety grown in Margaux.

Margaux is celebrated for producing elegant and refined red wines. These wines are often described as having a delicate and perfumed character, with aromas of blackcurrant, violets, and other red and black fruits. They are known for their balance, finesse, and exceptional aging potential.

The appellation gained international recognition for producing some of the world's finest wines. Its namesake champion, Château Margaux, was named in 1855 as one of the original First Growths (Premiers Crus). In addition, Margaux is home to these classified estates: Château Palmer, Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Rauzan-Gassies, Château Durfort-Vivens, Château Lascombes, Château Brane-CantenacChâteau Giscours, Château Kirwan, Château d'Issan, Château Malescot St.-Exupery, Château Cantenac Brown, Château Desmirail, Château Ferriere, Château Marquis d'Alesme, Château Boyd-Cantenac, Château Prieuré-Lichine, Château Marquis de Terme, Château Dauzac.

Footnotes on Futures, Pre-Arrivals, and potential US Tariffs: 

1. As of June 15, 2021, the US and the EU agreed to suspend tariffs resulting from the Boeing-Airbus aircraft trade disputes. Accordingly, such import taxes are now suspended for the next five years.

2. Futures are expected to be available for delivery two years after the sales (e.g., the 2022 vintage, sold in 2023, will be delivered in 2025 mostly, or 2026 if the producer ages the wine longer).

3. Pre-Arrivals are items currently stored in our Bordeaux cellar or in transit from France to the US. It usually takes 1-6 months for Pre-Arrivals to become available for delivery, depending on the stage of the import process.

4. Regarding futures and pre-arrivals, we cannot guarantee specific delivery dates, which factors beyond our control may impact. However, we will notify you once your wine arrives in our cellar.

5. While a buyer of Bordeaux wine futures locks in an allocation of the specified items, the final delivery of the purchased items from France to the US may be impacted by intervening and unforeseeable events. Despite our due diligence, additional costs or delays may be caused by such intervening and unforeseen events and "an irresistible, superhuman cause, or by the act of public enemies of the state of California or the United States."  In such circumstances, if a buyer does not accept unforeseeable costs or delays, the sole and exclusive remedy is a cancellation of the futures order concerned and a refund of the original purchase price. We are NOT liable for any lost profits on a canceled order.

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