2009 Chateau Rauzan-Segla
By Chateau Rauzan-Segla
2009 Chateau Rauzan-Segla from Chateau Rauzan-Segla, Margaux, Bordeaux
The eminent 2009 vintage from Chateau Rauzan-Segla is a quintessential example of Margaux's ability to balance power and elegance with peerless grace. I have had the pleasure of tracing the evolution of this celebrated estate over my forty-year career, each vintage a nuanced chapter in its storied legacy. The 2009 offering is a particularly compelling instalment in this narrative, demonstrating why savvy fine wine investors are keen to secure allocations of such illustrious vintages.
Artistry Captured in a Bottle: A Testament to Climatic Serendipity
In 2009, the Bordeaux region was blessed with near-perfect growing conditions: an unbroken ensemble of warm days and cool nights, which culminated in impeccably ripe grapes. This particular Providence fostered a vintage of remarkable concentration and balance at Chateau Rauzan-Segla, mediating between voluptuous depth and aristocratic poise.
The Pinnacle of Precision: 2009's Profile
Upon decanting, the 2009 Chateau Rauzan-Segla presents a majestic garnet hue with just a whisper of bricking at the edge—indicative of its gradual journey through maturity. The bouquet is an alluring mélange of blackcurrant compote, fragrant violets, and finely ground gravel—a signature of its Margaux terroir. With time in the glass, evocations of cigar box and forest floor emerge, signalling the complex secondary characteristics that sophisticated palates seek.
Structured yet seamless tannins frame the wine's regal palate, ensuring a tapestry that is amenable to further ageing. This is a bottle that proffers immediate pleasure but promises further riches with patience—a dual proposition for both the collector and connoisseur.
The investment merits of the 2009 Chateau Rauzan-Segla are as evident as its organoleptic splendour; this vintage epitomises what many argue to be one of the finest years for Bordeaux in the modern era. As such, it represents an opportunity for capital appreciation whilst also gracing the tables of those who appreciate true vinous artistry.
Reflecting on my tastings of this vintage over the last decade, its journey has been one marked by graceful development. Its capacity for prolonged evolution hints at an intriguing future for those who afford it cellar space. As an architect of nuanced pleasure, it stands shoulder to shoulder with other noble creations from this prestigious chateau.
For investors and aficionados alike, this Margaux titan underlines its status with every sip; seductive when young, sublime with age. The 2009 Chateau Rauzan-Segla from Chateau Rauzan-Segla confirms what I—and countless others—have long celebrated: that within its dark elixir lies both passion’s promise and time’s reward.
Market price (CAD)
$2,246.81
12x75cl
Highest score
94
POP score
96.43
Scores and tasting notes
Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Rauzan-Ségla bursts from the glass with bold, vivacious Black Forest cake, blackberry pie and warm blueberry scents plus nuances of cardamom, candied violets, smoked meats and Chinese five spice with a waft of dusty soil. Full-bodied, rich, plush and decadent, it completely coats the palate with densely packed preserved black berries layers, finishing very long and spicy. The blend this year is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot, harvested between September 22nd and October 11th, at an average yield of 41 hectoliters per hectare. It was aged for 18 months in French oak, 50% new. The alcohol is 14%, and the pH is 3.69.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 9 April 2020