“A quintessential Margaux.” – Jeb Dunnuck

Right with you Jeb! This near perfect Margaux at the BEST PRICE ANYWHERE, will not last the day.

Oh, and if quadruple 98-99 points ain’t hot enough for ya, we also topped these pallets with some 100-point First Growth coming up shortly. But those will cost about 6x what one of these goes for.

Per Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW of The Wine Palate, “The Wertheimer family, owners of the Chanel fashion group, purchased Château Rauzan-Ségla in 1994. ‘In 1993, I had some Palmer over lunch, and I then decided to leave Latour for Rauzan-Ségla,’ Managing Director John Kolasa confided to me some years ago. In that glass of Palmer, Kolasa saw the potential for neighboring Rauzan-Ségla… Returning it to its former glory would be a life-challenge worth embracing.”

Embrace, he did. With the Chanel empire behind him, the sky was the limit, so NO EXPENSE was spared. Quality skyrocketed and continues to. Just like LLC in Saint-Julien or Cos in Saint-Estèphe, Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux continues to challenge its 1855 classification as a Second Growth. As a matter of fact, if you have the means, just pop this in a bling, err I mean blind tasting WITH First Growths, and you’ll know what we mean…

Barely hitting its golden stride, this bad boy has the stuffing to run a few more marathons like Agent Rhône just did (and broke his personal record, a heartfelt congrats, bionic man!) If you can get past the nose, it boasts floral, mineral, fruits red, blue, and black galore, the palate hits you hard too with that signature iron fist in a velvet glove Margaux thing. If you are not knocked out by then, the finish is bound to floor you. Like a barrage of punches against the ropes; you helplessly fall under the spell of this beauty.

In all seriousness, if you miss out, it will hurt. There are just so many cases and with the new tariffs, there is no seeing it again at this price…

99 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Reminding me of the 2016, the 2018 Château Rauzan-Ségla reveals this beautifully fresh, complex bouquet that still has serious richness and depth. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, raised in 65% new barrels, it offers a dense purple hue to go with gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, spring flowers, cigar wrapper, and sandalwood. A quintessential Margaux with its spicy, complex, floral character, it’s full-bodied and has a supple, elegant texture, no hard edges, a solid spine of acidity, and a great, great finish. This is a brilliant, heavenly 2018 to enjoy over the coming 30 years or more. Drink 2021-2051.”

99 Points – James Suckling “Aromas of crushed blackberries and blueberries with dried flowers and bark, following through to a full body with a tight and powerful palate of beautiful fruit and chewy yet polished tannins that are compressed and impressive. Extremely linear and intense. Muscular, in a toned way. Yet it opens in the mouth when you taste it. Drink after 2025.”

98+ Points – Wine Advocate “The 2018 Rauzan-Ségla is composed of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. The wine has 14% alcohol, and it was aged for around 18 months in barriques, 65% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes galloping out of the glass with powerful, energetic scents of crushed black cherries, blackcurrant cordial and mulberries, plus suggestions of violets, star anise, chocolate mint and crushed rocks with a touch of tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular black fruit layers, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with fantastic length and loads of earthy sparks. This is a thoroughbred Margaux, for sure, possessing amazing power in a very sleek, sophisticated package. Give it 5-7 years in bottle to unlock all those earth, floral and mineral nuances and drink it over the next 40 years or more. An incredible achievement that adeptly sidesteps the potentially overwhelming stamps of this extreme vintage. Bravo to Technical Director Nicolas Audebert and the team at Rauzan-Ségla! Drink 2026-2066.”

98 Points – The Wine Cellar Insider “A contender for the finest vintage of Rauzan-Ségla ever produced, the wine hits all the right notes starting with its complex perfume which is already showing off its lilacs, violets, tobacco leaf, forest floor, espresso and array of red and black fruits. On the palate, the wine really shines due to its depth of flavor, power, concentration, sensuous, elegant textures and its silk and velvet wrapped finish clocking in at 60 seconds, or more. Give it ten years or just a bit longer and this beauty will shine for 2-3 decades after that.”