Château Rauzan Ségla - Margaux 2015

Wine Advocate

97 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe2/22/2018

The 2015 Rauzan-Segla (Rausan-Segla) is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc and was matured in 65% new and 35% one-year-old barrels for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up a myriad of softly spoken fresh berry, floral and fragrant earth notes, including crushed red and black currants, black raspberries and menthol notes with touches of cigar box, lavender, violets, smoked meats, black truffles and chargrill. Medium to full-bodied with a firm frame of very finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, the palate possesses an arresting quiet intensity of many tightly wound, subtle layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Very polished and precise, this Rauzan-Ségla is truly a triumph!

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

byJames Molesworththe2/15/2018

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.  –JM

Jamessuckling.com

97 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/12/2018

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.

Decanter.com

95 / 100

byJane Ansonthe1/26/2018

Smooth, well-worked fine tannins with a touch of smokiness and some firm damson fruits. The fruit builds on the palate - cassis purée with pencil lead and liquorice to mitigate the sweetness, nicely balanced with a great feel of freshness. The alcohol is a touch evident on the finish, but it is an extremely confident and accomplished wine, very classy with a huge life ahead which showcases the continued excellence at Rauzan Ségla under Nicolas Audebert. 65% new oak.

Jeb DUNNUCK

95 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe11/30/2017

Jancis Robinson

17,5 / 20

byJulia Harding MWthe11/8/2017

Bright lustrous crimson. Very carefully made with real vitality. Fresh and much more lifted than most. Long with a wonderful undertow. Already quite complex. No rough edges. 17.5+

Vinifera

4 / 5

the5/31/2016

C’est un jus magnifique, dense, très mûr. Très beau volume de bouche. Corps onctueux, d’une très belle dimension tactile, caressant et suave. C’est très bon, mais on lui souhaiterait un peu plus d’énergie et de fraîcheur pour atteindre la très grande dimension.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95-97 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/30/2016

Florals, licorice, tobacco, truffle, violets and ripe, sweet, fruits create the complex perfume. Soft, rich and polished, this wine feels like silk and velvet on the palate. Weight and density provide you with a concentration of raw materials while the finesse-styled finish lingers and expands. From a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 14.% alcohol with a pH of 3.7. Aging in 65% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling, it represents 45% of the production. The harvest took place from September 10 to October 9. This is the debut vintage for the new director Nicolas Audebert. Bravo for your first effort!

Wine Advocate

96-98 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/29/2016

The 2015 Rauzan-Segla is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc cropped at 40 hl/ha between 10 September with the young Merlot vines and finishing with the Cabernet Sauvignon, which was picked between 22 September and 9 October. It is matured in 65% new oak for around 18 months. It has a very intense, almost crystalline bouquet with blackberry, briary, flint and just a touch of violet petal. There is incredible delineation here and the new wood is seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with extremely fine tannin, perfectly judged acidity, otherworldly purity and a mineralité rarely seen in this Margaux estate. This is a brilliant Rauzan-Ségla, not necessarily more powerful than previous vintages, though enhanced by its precision, frisson and energy, perhaps longer on the finish. Winemaker Nicolas Audebert has conspired with the benevolent growing season to produce a benchmark wine for the estate.

Bettane & Desseauve

18-18,5 / 20

the4/28/2016

Grande profondeur, intensité. Belle couleur, beaucoup de race au nez et de plénitude en bouche, encore un rien sévère, ce qui est lié à son boisé, mais avec un retour de tannin de cèdre de très grand terroir.

Vinous

93-96 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/27/2016

The 2015 Rauzan-Ségla is simply magnificent. Rich, powerful and intense, the 2015 exudes class. The flavors are dark, sumptuous and wonderfully expressive. In many ways, the 2015 captures both the finesse of Margaux and the intensity of the year. Specifically, the combination of power, freshness and delineation is compelling. The 2015 was blended just 4-5 weeks before I started tasting it. Over the course of two weeks the wine seemed to gain quite a bit of volume and depth. The 2015 is an intense, rich wine. It is also totally compelling. Don't miss it. Tasted four times.

Decanter.com

95 / 100

bySteven Spurrierthe4/27/2016

Wonderfully expressed Margaux fragrance, lovely texture and grip with minerality on the long finish. A great Rauzan-Ségla. 2022-2040

Jean-Marc QUARIN

17,5 / 20

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/20/2016

Ma meilleure note donnée à ce cru en primeur à égalité avec le 2010.Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez intense, au fruité mûr, subtil et même légèrement floral. Entrée enbouche délicate, puis le vin se développe lentement sur un toucher de bouche raffiné. Juteux, sanscesse délicieux, il fond après le milieu de bouche avec beaucoup de grâce sur une longue finaleincrachable et complexe. Et dans les tous derniers instants, au lieu d'être tannique, il offre une douceurinénarrable. L'élevage pourrait le grandir. Assemblage : 63 % cabernet sauvignon, 33 % merlot, 3 % petitverdot, 1 % cabernet franc. Degré d'alcool : 14,2° - pH : 3,6 – IPT : 63.

timatkin.com

94 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe4/20/2016

Wine Enthusiast

94-96 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/15/2016

Barrel Sample. Already showing a fine balance, this is going to develop into a ripe, fruity wine. Currently, the tannins are at the service of the shining black fruits and bright acidity. 95 points

Jancis Robinson

17,5 /

byJancis Robinsonthe4/15/2016

Very dark. This is turbo Margaux! By which I don’t mean that it's forced but it has extraordinary concentration and impact. Very much set for the long term. Juicy and chock full of fruit that almost disguises the tannin. Amazing persistence. Drink 2025-204017.5+

René Gabriel

18 / 20

the4/10/2016

Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am Rand. Fruchtig, florales Bouquet, vielschichtig und delikat, relativ wenig Fruchtdruck aufweisend. Im Gaumen seidig, elegant, passende Adstringenz zeigend. Er ist sehr schwierig einzuschätzen, andere Margaux' sind einfach lauter und geben mehr her. Ich habe ihn noch einmal auf der Union des Grands Crus auf du Tertre nach verkostet. Da hat er mich dann doch überzeugt. 18/20 2025 – 2045

Jamessuckling.com

97-98 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/5/2016

This is so sexy with superbly polished tannins that gives the wine super length and definition. Compacted and tight. Full body, tight yet flamboyant at the same time. Loving it.

Wine Spectator

92-95 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2016

Juicy and bright, with lots of energy to the red currant and plum fruit, laced with savory, iron and black tea notes. A velvety edge pulls the finish together. Shows good character, with less reliance on flashy oak.—J.M.