Rauzan Ségla 2012

The 2012 Rauzan-Ségla (54.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 1.5% Petit Verdot) is a classic Rauzan-Ségla, still relatively backward and tannic, but concentrated and extremely promising. Dense blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit along with some licorice, vanilla, foresty notes and spice are all present in this full-bodied yet structured and big, beefy style of Rauzan-Ségla . It may turn out to be somewhat atypical for this château in its size and masculine structure, but this is impressive wine, and one of the great successes of the vintage. Give it 5-7 years of bottle age and drink it over the following three decades. Drink: 2022 - 2052.

The 2012 Rauzan-Ségla has a similar colour to the 2015 although it has a hard time competing with the delineation, the crystalline nature of the 2015. Yet it compensates with the sheer aromatic flamboyance. This has really opened up in the last 18 months or so, quite lush and precocious black fruit, loam and iris, just a slight hint of bell pepper emanating from the small amount of Cabernet Franc. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin. There is a lovely seam of acidity here that lends the 2012 a sense of focus. It is not a deep or lavish Rauzan-Ségla, in some ways a little more conservative than I recall. There is fine grip on the saline finish, perhaps a Margaux that is just beginning to close up for a while? This still has great potential. Tasted at the Rauzan-Ségla vertical at the château.

A full and silky wine with a slightly hollow center-palate now but it's very pretty and chewy. Needs two or three years to soften. Very persistent and structured.

Inky purple in colour, deep and concentrated, on the palate this is full of cocoa bean, chocolate shavings, rich concentrated damson and plum fruits. Impressive, still young with the barest hiint of tertiary favours, this remains gourmet and succulent. I would give two to three hours in a carafe before drinking if approaching any time soon, and will age further. John Kolasa director.

Dark purplish. Lacks just a little freshness on the nose. Quite brutal fruit but some juiciness triumphs above the oak. Ambitious. Vibrant with good persistence.

Now comfortably established in the super-second league. Huge efforts are being made by owners Chanel to make great wine at Rauzan, with production of the first wine only around half of the total harvest and the rest used for their excellent second wine - Ségla. Scotsman John Kolasa, formerly of Château Latour, is in charge here. In our view this 2nd growth is consistently the top wine of the appellation after Palmer and Chateau Margaux itself. The frequent winner of Margaux appellation blind tastings in recent vintages. The 2012 was made from yields of 35 hl/ha with picking continuing to the 21st October. Only 37% of the crop will go into the Grand Vin this year with 43% into Segla and 20% used for a third wine. Attractive, open and forward nose with plenty of ripe red berry fruit and a perfumed, floral character. Smoky new wood and cedary notes compliment the ripe cassis and mulberry fruit. Fresh, with lively acidity and classically Margaux. There is elegance rather than power here. Beautifully balanced with a clean, enduring ripe finish. Complex and refined.

The nose has a complex mix of flavours more black fruits showing but underneath there is the freshness of red cherry. The fruit feels ripe the mid palate quite rich and although fresher towards the back and slightly tannin dominated the finish has sweetness, richness and depth. 2020-35