Cru Wine Events: Exclusive tasting with Château Rauzan Ségla
Last week, we were delighted to bring together some of our clients in the UK for an exclusive tasting with Château Rauzan Ségla.
Hosted at Queen’s Club, Kensington, we were joined by Export Manager Jean-Basile Roland at who expertly introduced us to the estate, their history and wine production whilst guiding us through tasting the four vintages, 2014, 2009, 2006 and 2001.
“Thanks for the organisation and the invitation, the event was superb, atmosphere was great, the presentation was informative without being too much and it was lovely to taste a number of wines over the years from this vineyard. Look forward very much to future events.”
Speaking after the event, CEO Gregory Swartberg said, “It was great to host our first event since the pandemic and be able to share some fantastic wines with our clients at the Queen’s Club. Thanks to Jean-Basile, we had the pleasure to try some truly great wines and are thrilled to have received such warm feedback from our clients, who also cherish the ability to attend such great events again. We are very much looking forward to hosting further events like this for our clients soon.”
The Rauzan-Ségla tasting was a lesson in perfume and precision. Heavy investment in the vineyard and cellars, coupled with an eye for detail and vinifying every plot separately, has resulted in Château Rauzan-Ségla cementing its reputation in the appellation’s pecking order, nipping at the heels of Palmer and Château Margaux.
The 2014 was classic, chiselled and supremely perfumed on the nose, perfect for lovers of traditional, old school Margaux. The 2009 was powerful, opulent and incredibly long, with a beguiling finish that went on for minutes, and still so young, this will be fascinating to revisit in a decade or two. Many thought the 2006 was showing beautifully, at its peak, with seamless tannins, a fine balance between freshness and more complex tertiary notes. The 2001 was showing wonderful evolution, kept in check by very fine acidity, a sense of vibrancy and 12.5% alcohol, perfect mature Bordeaux, everything in its place.
The house style was summed up perfectly by Jean-Basile: “Rauzan Ségla is an athlete, it is not explosive like a sprinter, but more similar to 1500 metre runner; powerful and svelte, able to go the distance.”
