The Wine Society’s close and long-term relationship with Château Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux, rightly considered one of the superstar properties of Bordeaux, has given us priority access to the château’s delicious second wine – Ségla – in a superb vintage. The wine is not normally offered en primeur, typically being released well after it is bottled, and we are the only company to have been accorded this unique opportunity to secure the wine at this early stage.
2022 will go down in the annals of Bordeaux as one of the greatest vintages of the past 50 years. When I tasted barrel samples of the wines back in April I was struck by the sheer energy and pleasure they exuded, and having retasted a number of 2022s last month, I am pleased to report that my initial enthusiasm was well founded.
Order by midday on Thursday 23rd November
While the summer months were hot and extremely dry in 2022, there is no hint of over-ripeness in the wines. Winemakers have become adept at handling such conditions and in 2022 were able to maintain freshness and lift in the wines. Instances of jammy, unbalanced wines were, thankfully, rare. Nicolas Audebert, winemaker at Rauzan-Ségla, told me that what he finds particularly appealing in his 2022s is a kind of 'chalky minerality' on the palate which prolongs the flavours and therefore the enjoyment of the wine.
The 2022 Ségla is a blend of 42% cabernet sauvignon and 58% merlot. Yields were small in 2022 due to the drought conditions that prevailed throughout much of the year, with volumes down by around one-third of a normal crop. It is currently being aged in the cellars at Rauzan-Ségla in a mixture of new oak (15%) and older oak barrels and will be bottled in 2024. Nicolas has reduced the proportion of new oak in both his Rauzan-Ségla and Ségla this year to allow the vibrancy of the fruit to shine through.
