Chateau Rauzan Segla 2003

JAMES SUCKLING: "What a decadent nose, with strawberry pie, cream, vanilla, and exotic fruits. Almost new world in style. Full and round, with minty, bright fruits on the palate. Long and wonderful, exciting and fresh. A real beauty. Closes down a little bit, but this is still a big surprise. Pull the cork after 2015."

JEB DUNNUCK: "I loved the 2003 Rauzan-Ségla. It’s from a scorching hot vintage, but it has stayed beautifully balanced and has loads to love. Based on 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it offers a complex, resolved bouquet of ripe black fruits, smoke tobacco, fruitcake, and incense. Medium to full-bodied, downright sexy, complex, and nuanced, it’s drinking at point today. It’s not going to get any better, but it will certainly hold nicely for another 8-10 years."

WEINWISSER: "Im Duft schönes Margaux- Parfum mit Lakritze, Veilchen und kandierte schwarzen Beeren. Elegant, feingliedrig, rund und ausgewogen, mittlere Intensität, zart austrocknendes Finish. -trinken"

WINE SPECTATOR: "Fascinating aromas of berry, currant and toasted oak. Crushed dark fruits. Full-bodied and chewy with plenty of berry and vanilla flavors. Slowly builds on the palate, with big velvety tannins and a long finish. This is tight and tannic needing plenty of bottle age. Best after 2011. 7,915 cases made."

DECANTER: "The heatwave year has lent a telltale ripeness to the fruits here, along with its warm character of exotic spices and tender, fully ripened tannins. The alcohol is relatively low, suggesting possible blockages of ripeness which may be responsible for the slight green notes that are actually quite welcome, balancing the fleshy fig and damson fruits. There's still some juice running through the whole thing and it has kept its balance, although it will not age as well as some other vintages. I would say that John Kolasa, director at the time, played this very well. Picked 10 September to 22 September, with a 30hl/ha yield. 55% new oak."