Rauzan Segla 2013 Revisited

It still looks very dark and ruby with a tight pink rim. Bottle ageing for vintage 2013 Rauzan Segla has augmented its intensities

with a confident complex nose of floral, black cherry, truffle, thyme and black plum aromas (compared to the En Primeur Team tasted back then). Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, 2013 is drinking even better now. Rauzan Seglas is well-liked by us because of its:

1. Silky smooth tannins and freshness (premium fruit quality, sorting, parcel by parcel vinification, relatively low alcohol at 13.5% still despite higher merlot content used) that lingers on your palate and adds exceptional ripeness to it(higher merlot composition for vintage 2012, manual harvest);

2. Vigorous mid-palate intensity good structure(increased to 10,000 vines per hectare, efficient drainage with a new drainage system, crop thinning, smaller vats);

3. Reasonable complexity integrated primary, secondary and tertiary tones(4 royal grapes by design);

4. Medium Power(vinification takes place at 35 Celsius for suitable extraction, malolactic fermentation in smaller vats for fixing even better fruit, the wine aged in an average 60% new, French oak barrels for between 18 months, hence the richness)

Of course, this wine holds a special place amongst veteran importers because John Kolasa, the winemaker, was and still is a friend to many Hong Kong tasters. He was replaced in 2014 by LVMH's other winemaker.

Priced super effective as a Super Second of Margaux (sic, President Thomas Jefferson of USA), coupled with the ability to age and develop. If you like Margaux, this 2012 Rauzan Segla deserves a place in your cellar.

Full decanting is recommended. That evening, when we tasted it, its virtues come close to frailty, as if silence speaks even more than the sound of music and cadence tells as much as arpeggios. It is a wine for dining at candlelight and whispers, accompanied by good dishes and an intimate friend.

Cosistent scores: WE93, AG92, RP91, JS92.

Chateau Laroze 2014, St Emilion GCC

With its purple hue and tight rim, the wine vintage stands out with its plush, dark, berry-fruited taste. It's a youthful wine with a leathery and meaty finish, and its tame tannins add to its appeal. This vintage, darker and more intense than its 2012, 2013, and 2015 counterparts, is a must-have for those seeking an exciting comparison. 

VindeVert awards 92 points: The aromatic and slightly fresh nose is a sensory delight, revealing notes of fresh blackberry, crème de cassis, and small wild berries, with hints of ripe pepper, woody nuances, mocha, and a touch of pepper. The fruity, sophisticated palate is a journey of unctuosity, tension, juiciness, and fat, framed by freshness, suavity, gourmandise, and precision. In the mouth, this wine unfolds with notes of blackberry cream, fleshy cassis, juicy raspberry, chocolate, toasted oak, and a subtle hint of almond/Bourbon vanilla on the finish. The well-built tannins and discreet hint of chocolate on the persistence add to the overall sensory experience. Edited. 

Chateau Laroze 2012 St Emilion GCC

A light style of wine, with a bright, red fruit and herbal character or early drinking consumption. Good length-tamed tannins. Consistent style. Stylistically, it offers a consistent yet unique red-fruited and forward style, which is rare to come by in last decade of hot years.

VindeTert awarded 93 points and writes, 'The nose is aromatic and elegant. It reveals notes of boysenberry, plum and delicate notes of cassis associated with a touch of undergrowth, mocha and flowers. The palate is fruity, gourmand, elegant, fleshy, complete, and racy and offers a beautiful definition, a mineral structure, roundness, suavity and an unctuous matter. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of cassis, blackberry and delicate notes of strawberry plum combined with touches of liquorice, chocolate, tobacco, a few slight touches of caramelized oak and a discreet touch of vanilla. Tannins are fine and elegant.' (Edited).