Winemaker Notes
The color is medium deep ruby with tawny rims, the nose is really explosive and refined at the same time; leather, dark berries, tobacco and some earthy aromas emanates from the glass. The palate is tight and firm, not closed but it still would be better with time, finely grained tannins and a fresh, long aftertaste.
Blend: 63.5 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 33.5 % Merlot, 3 % Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A huge, powerful, dense wine, which layers pure black fruits over dusty tannins. This is an impressive wine, proof of Rauzan-Ségla's improvements since Chanel took over ownership. It is packed with fruits, like an intense jelly, but also has dryness, acidity and good aging potential.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-brick colored, the 2001 Rauzan-Ségla rolls out of the glass with open, expressive, mature notes of potpourri, star anise, incense and cigar box with a pretty core of kirsch, redcurrant jelly and dried figs. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers mature spice and dried berry layers with a light grip of chewy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing with a peppery kick. The blend this year is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, harvested between September 28 and October 11 at an average yield of 46 hectoliters per hectare. It was aged for 18 months in French oak, 50% new. The alcohol is 12.5%.
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Wine Spectator
Beautiful aromas of spices, berries and plums follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with very fine tannins and a pretty, delicious finish. All in finesse.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Silky, seductive and polished are the words that characterize the best wines from Margaux, the most inland appellation of the Médoc on the Left Bank of Bordeaux.
Margaux’s gravel soils are the thinnest of the Médoc, making them most penetrable by vine roots—some reaching down over 23 feet for water. The best sites are said to be on gentle outcrops, or croupes, where more gravel facilitates good drainage.
The Left Bank of Bordeaux subscribes to an arguably outdated method of classification but it is nonetheless important in regards to history of the area. In 1855 the finest chateaux were deemed on the basis of reputation and trading price—at that time. In 1855, Chateau Margaux achieved first growth status, yet it has been Chateau Palmer (officially third growth from the 1855 classification) that has consistently outperformed others throughout the 20th century.
Chateau Margaux in top vintages is capable of producing red Cabernet Sauvignon based wines described as pure, intense, spell-binding, refined and profound with flavors and aromas of black currant, violets, roses, orange peel, black tea and incense.
Other top producers worthy of noting include Chateau Rauzan-Ségla, Lascombes, Brane-Cantenac, and d’Issan, among others.
The best wines of Margaux combine a deep ruby color with a polished structure, concentration and an unrivaled elegance.