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SOPHISTICATED

Wines

CHÂTEAU RAUZAN-SÉGLA CONTINUES TO DELIGHT WINE CONNOISSEURS THE WORLD OVER WITH ITS DELECTABLE WINES

For more than 350 years, Château Rauzan-Ségla has been producing haute couture wines, reigning over the lands of the reputable Margaux appellation on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux region in France.

Dubbed the wine capital with its châteaux and vineyards, Bordeaux is a leading destination for wine lovers. Established in 70 hectares of vineyard, Château Rauzan-Ségla has a long history to tell. It started in 1661 under the reign of Louis XIV when Pierre de Rauzan bought the estate. An ambitious businessman, Pierre had the desire to produce the finest Bordeaux wines and spread their reputation around the world. With his excellent intuition and knowledge of the quality of the terroirs, he decided to acquire the parcels of vines that today make up the main Rauzan-Ségla vineyards. His descendants over the following two centuries shared

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By Retta Oktaviani Suparli

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the same devotion to the château and its vineyards. Over the years, Château Rauzan-Ségla has been known as a wine brand with a fine reputation throughout the world.

In 1855, Château Rauzan-Ségla received the “Deuxième Grand Cru Classé” or Second Classified Growth, the region’s highest classification status. The château owes this ranking to its immense popularity among wine enthusiasts. This classification has played an important role in structuring the Bordeaux grands crus market from 1855 until today. The modern era began when renowned luxury fashion Maison, CHANEL, took over in 1994. Château Rauzan-Ségla has experienced a monumental renovation ever since, combining the 350-year-old legacy with modern winemaking. Currently managed by the talented winemaker Nicolas Audebert, Château Rauzan-Ségla continues to push the quality ever higher.

“Making wine is not an easy job. It requires passion and a great deal of humility. It also implies a special relationship with time. One

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1. Château Rauzan-Ségla 2. Château Rauzan-Ségla 2021 3. The cellar of Château Rauzan-Ségla 4. The tower at Château Rauzan-Ségla 5. Wine sampling in the cellar

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must be like the craftsman who, very patiently, and step-by-step, creates a piece of work destined to last,” says Nicolas.

The vineyards are planted with the four Bordeaux grape varieties, which are the cabernet sauvignons, the merlots, the cabernet francs, and the petit verdots. The cabernet sauvignons grape variety dominates the vineyard, covering 61% of the surface area. Since 2017, Château Rauzan-Ségla has adopted an organic approach, reverting to sustainable growing methods. They only grow organically in some plots.

The main vineyards are located near the château, which is very close to the village of Margaux. The poor, naturally-draining soil encourages the deep rooting of the vine. From these remarkable vines, usually the oldest, comes the fruit from which the Grand Vin is born.

THE WINES

Château Rauzan-Ségla’s grand vin is a special wine. It is crafted with infinite care and its grapes are sourced from the main vineyards where the finest and, in particular, the old Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines grow in perfectly worked soils. When the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are included in the blend, they add yet another layer of complexity to the wine.

The next one, Ségla, has a different narrative. It comes from the vineyards that gravitate around the central vineyards and has the specific role of inviting wine drinkers into the world of Rauzan-Ségla, and to introduce them to the mysteries of its terroir and its traditional craftsmanship, which is constantly honed through the use of selected modern tools. Ségla is a wine with a strong character and is best enjoyed when young and vibrant. It is crisp and flavoursome.

6. The cabernet sauvignons grape variety dominates

the Château Rauzan-Ségla vineyard

7. Harvesting the grapes

8. Inspecting the grapes for harvest

9. A bottle of Château Rauzan-Ségla 2016