Chateau Rauzan-Segla 2020

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.

• Drinking Window: 2028 - 2058
• Reviewer Name: Jeb Dunnuck
• Review Date: March 2023

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.

• Drinking Window: 2030 - 2060
• Reviewer Name: Antonio Galloni
• Review Date: February 2023

The 2020 Rauzan-Ségla is more open on the nose than when I tasted it from barrel. Quite intense with blackberry, crushed violet, oyster shell and just a touch of pencil box. It actually pulls back a little with aeration, almost as if it is (to quote The Specials) showing too much, too young. The palate is pixelated on the entry, perfectly proportioned with seamlessly integrated oak, a silver bead of acidity. Not ostentatious in any way, but streamlined and holding something back on the finish, which bodes well for the future. This is deeply impressive.

• Drinking Window: 2027 - 2057
• Reviewer Name: Neal Martin
• Review Date: February 2023

Tumeric and cumin spices alongside concentrated cassis and bilberry fruits, this has a powerful structure where the tannins layer up through the palate. There is no question that this is intense, and a reflection of the low yields of the vintage, but Rauzan Segla manages what it always does, which is to take the foot off the pedal at exactly the right moment, and allow the juice to come rushing in. The push and pull of muscular tannins and deft supple acidity gives an extra layer of success. Should be ready to drink a little earlier than the biggest years such as 2016 or 2019, but this will still age for decades. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. Harvest began September 8, a yield of 30hl/ha. 60% new oak. Tasted twice.

• Drinking Window: 2028 - 2044
• Reviewer Name: Jane Anson
• Review Date: May 2021

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Almost the same blend as last year. Perfumed violet, floral aroma with a hint of minty freshness. Smooth and spherical on attack then long and linear. Plentiful but finely honed tannins. Lovely poise and balance. A touch steelier than 2019 but clear potential. (JL)

• Drinking Window: 2028 - 2045
• Reviewer Name: James Lawther MW
• Review Date: April 2021