Bordeaux 2024: Château Rauzan Segla and Beau Séjour Bécot

Rauzan-Ségla is one of our favourite châteaux from Bordeaux. Year after year, Nicolas Audebert and his team fashion exquisite wines from this wonderful Margaux second growth. Their 2024 is as refined as ever, full of florality and pure, seductive fruit, cosseted by beautiful tannins. This is clearly one of the highest achieving second growths of the vintage, yet it has been released at £283 per 6, a far cry from the prices of qualitatively comparable wines. As such, it’s a wine we thoroughly endorse.

“Deep garnet-purple colored. Strides confidently out of the glass with classic black currants and red currant scents, leading to a core of cedar chest, underbrush, and damp soils, plus a touch of red roses. The medium-bodied palate is vibrant with exquisitely ripe tannins and beautifully knit tension framing the red and black berry layers, finishing long and fragrant. This is a finished blend, completed 2 months ago. 63.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. 30 hl/ha, 3.7 pH. 95-97/100” – Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent

“The 2024 Rauzan-Ségla is magnificent. One of the top wines of the Left Bank, Rauzan-Ségla possesses tremendous textural density and mind-blowing balance. Dark fruit, lavender, spice, licorice and new leather are all dialed up in a potent, layered Margaux that offers stunning harmony and incredible purity. At this stage, Rauzan-Ségla is one of the wines of the vintage in Bordeaux. Elegant yet powerful, the 2024 is simply magnificent. Tasted four times. 2043-2054. 95-98/100” – Antonio Galloni, vinous.com

Moving to the Right Bank, whilst we still await the release of Rauzan-Ségla’s sister property, Château Canon, we have instead its rising star neighbour, Beau-Séjour Bécot. Under the stewardship of Julien Barthe, this well-sited St Emilion estate on the limestone plateau has picked up many plaudits in recent vintages. With the help of uber-oenologist, Thomas Duclos, this estate is now producing vivid, classy wines with beautiful aromatics. William Kelley describes the 2024 as a “terrific performance”. We agree: a great effort from Julien and his team.

“A blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, the 2024 Beau-Séjour Bécot was picked in late September. Clusters were open rather than compact, lessening botrytis pressure, making it easier to wait to attain full maturity. Offering up aromas of dark berries, violets, rose petals and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, polished and layered, with beautifully refined tannin, integrated acidity and a long, aromatic finish. Once again, this impeccably managed estate has delivered a terrific performance in challenging conditions. 93-95/100” – William Kelley, Wine Advocate

“The 2024 Beau-Séjour Bécot is deep, vivid and wonderfully alive. Dynamic and explosive, with striking inner perfume, Beau-Séjour Bécot is hauntingly beautiful. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice and rose petal soar out of the glass. Silky, refined tannins add to the wine's finesse. The increase of Cabernet Franc in the blend has added aromatic depth and textural elegance. There's a feeling of transparency here that is impossible to miss. Beau-Séjour Bécot has grown into one of the most distinctive wines in Bordeaux. Simply put, the 2024 is magnificent. That's all there is to it. Élevage is 55% in new oak, 15% in once-used barrels and the rest in 20HL casks. Tasted two times. 2034 – 2054. 95-97/100”** – Antonio Galloni, vinous.com**