Château Rauzan Ségla, 2ème Cru Classé, Margaux, 2016
Nicolas Audebert has taken the reigns from John Kolasa at Rauzan Segla and Canon. It was a dream start for him with 2015; not only did St Emilion and Margaux enjoy the best of the conditions, his two estates, both owned by the Wertheimer brothers, were amongst the most sought after wines of the vintage. It seems appropriate that the family who owns Chanel should produce such stylish clarets. One can hardly have a couture wine, but it seems that Nicolas has fashioned something that perfectly fits our palates. Tasted a couple of times during the primeur week and in February just after blending, this is a serious, introverted, cool fruited, mineral effort and a worthy successor to the splendid 2015. This is more reserved with greater tension and a really delightful sappy quality. Pipe tobacco notes, wild black berries and fine black cherries; this is very smart indeed with really persistent and graceful tannins. Power without force.
critic reviews
The precision, hewn and cut tannins, wet stones, black tea, anis, liquorice root, bilberry and blackcurrant fruit, juicy tannins, understated power, settling in to itself at 10 years old, a superb wine that captures Margaux finesse with the more blunt power and concentration of the year. This was Nicolas Audebert's second vintage. 65% new oak. 3/6ph, 45hl/h yield, harvest September 20 to October 15. Nicolas Audebert director.
The 2016 Rauzan-Ségla has a more earthy bouquet, with blackberry, autumn leaves, gravel and iris flower scents that gradually unfurl in the glass. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, with sappy black fruit, refined and focused, quite sensual and cohesive. There is beguiling elegance on the finish, though it is quite backward, which explains why my score is just a touch below the previous appraisal. Still, it is one of the finest creations at the estate for many years. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.
Silky fine but firm tannins, great lift on the finish, austere in all the right places, plenty of life ahead, great quality, pomegranate and black cherry fruit laced with cigar box and graphite. 45hl/h yield, 60% new oak, harvest September 20 to October 15, from clay-gravel plots on Terrace 4. Nicolas Audbert in his 2nd vintage as director.
A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Rauzan-Segla is deep garnet in color, with a touch of purple. It needs a lot of swirling to wake up profound scents of crème de cassis, black cherry compote, and plum pudding, followed by nuances of cumin, unsmoked cigars, star anise, and black truffles. The medium-bodied palate delivers a firm backbone of super-ripe, grainy tannins and a refreshing line to cut through the dense, muscular black fruits, finishing long and opulent. It still needs some time, but WOW!