October 7, 2024
The best Margaux of the 2020 vintage
"A wine of immense character and refinement, it's the best vintage from this estate in recent times" - William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Chateau Rauzan Segla remains the most under-priced wine in the Margaux appellation, consistently producing wines that compete with two traditional stalwarts of Margaux – Chateau Margaux itself and the legendary Chateau Palmer. Rauzan’s 2020 is a knockout wine with
Château Rauzan-Ségla is a distinguished Second Growth estate located in the heart of Margaux, one of the most renowned appellations in Bordeaux. Founded in 1661, Rauzan-Ségla has built a reputation for producing elegant, refined wines that express the unique terroir of the region. The 2020 vintage continues this legacy, showcasing the estate’s exceptional winemaking and terroir.
The vineyards of Rauzan-Ségla are planted on the classic gravel soils of Margaux, which are known for their excellent drainage and ability to reflect warmth onto the vines, helping to ripen the grapes to perfection. This gravel, mixed with clay and limestone, provides the ideal foundation for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and smaller amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The 2020 vintage benefits from this terroir, offering a wine of great structure, depth, and complexity.
Rauzan-Ségla outscored its pricier peers, Château Margaux and Palmer, to claim the top-scoring wine in Margaux in the 2020 vintage. Both the Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck rated Rauzan-Ségla one point higher than the other two, securing its place as the standout wine of the appellation.
2020 was a great vintage for Rauza with Jeb Dunnuck writing; "This is clearly in the same league as the 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019". It's a vintage that we like a lot for its balance between freshness and power making it a standout for ageing, offering great potential for decades to come.
Rauzan-Segla 2020
98 points | Wine Advocate, William Kelley
The 2020 Rauzan-Segla is showing brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis and minty blackberries mingled with violets and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless, with a deep core of vibrant fruit, beautifully refined tannins and a harmonious, integrated profile that exudes elegance. A wine of immense character and refinement, it's the best vintage from this estate in recent times.
98 Points | Jen Dunnuck
The 2020 Château Rauzan-Ségla is pure Margaux brilliance, and this beautifully elegant wine embodies the best of the vintage. Revealing a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a great bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, lead pencil, sandalwood, smoked tobacco, and hints of incense, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It offers pleasure today (although it closes down with extended air) but deserves 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30 years or more. This is clearly in the same league as the 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. Tasted on multiple occasions with consistent results.
97 Points | Vinous, Antonio Galloni
The 2020 Rauzan-Ségla is a huge, explosive wine. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, smoke and incense are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tremendous richness. With élevage, the 2020 has grown into a huge, brooding wine endowed with notable presence. There's great purity and class here. The 2020 is a powerful, brooding Rauzan-Ségla for readers who can be patient. Very patient. Tasted two times.