Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Here is 2008 with a velvety texture yet the underlying bright acidity comes through at the same time. Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Very pretty and energetic. Just opening now.
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Wine Enthusiast
Big, rich, almost velvet in texture, this is a powerful wine. It has spice, black berry fruits, layers of wood and black plum skins. Powerful wine for long-term aging and medium-term accessibility. Cellar Selection
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2008 Rauzan-Ségla is a solid vintage and is still relatively youthful, yet it’s certainly drinking nicely. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, it has a cooler, black-fruited, menthol, and tobacco-driven bouquet as well as medium to full body, still present tannins, considerable elegance, and outstanding length. Overall it’s a pretty, well-balanced 2008 that’s going to continue evolving for another 15-20 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Rauzan-Segla (62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot) was made from 45% of the production. It is a beautiful wine in this vintage, not nearly as powerful and structured as the 2010, but it has complex notes of sweet red and black fruits, unsmoked cigar tobacco, spice box and a hint of very subtle wood. The complex perfume is followed by a dark ruby/plum-colored wine with beautifully sweet tannins, a silky, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long finish. This outstanding Margaux should drink nicely for 15-20 years.
Rating: 90+ -
Wine Spectator
A touch soft, but persistent, with pretty floral, mulled plum and tobacco notes that glide over light, rounded tannins. The pure finish lets the fruit hang elegantly. This wins on balance rather than depth.
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.