BEAUTY IN THE FRAGMENTS
The 2023 vintage of Rauzan-Ségla has that radiance of resilient souls. The sometimes difficult conditions created opportunities to test the role played by humans. The resulting wine is a sweeping gesture, creating a synthesis of what mineral and vegetal do best when they rise to the challenge with artisanal skill.
A complex wine, demanding proportion and harmony — sap, fruit and flower come together, all with the same subtlety. And depth, assuredly, like a hint of pride at this accomplishment.
PARCELS
INTRICATE LACE OF TERROIR,
MAPPED PROMISES. A
REVEALING FRACTION.
For millennia, time has filed its soils here, which geology has taken apart and put back together again according to its patient laws. Gravel, clay, sand: across the estate’s seventy hectares, nature has shown its talent in creating elaborate patterns. A complex masterpiece that has required a plot-based or even intra-plot approach, since 1994. No matter the size, even the most minuscule — if a facet of Rauzan can be expressed, every attention, from harvest to vinification, will be adopted at this tiny scale.
This was also our mindset when restructuring the vineyard. It took work of great precision — and persistence — to adjust the vineyard’s parameters (rootstock, varieties, density, etc.) to the terroir’s affinities. More than ever, a custom approach is the driving force. And a confession: the future of Rauzan will be written with more Cabernet Sauvignon...
Precise and careful work, revealing a collective art of constant vigilance.
Fragments
GESTURES
A VERSATILE SKY.
MOODY, UNPREDICTABLE AND CAPRICIOUS
— ALL FACTORS.
The climate this year played the teenager, flirting with extremes. The teams were more vigilant than ever, chaperoning the vines, switching back-and-forth between a state of alert and euphoria. When it came to rain, winter was frugal, spring generous. Then, on the cusp of summer came a sense of the tropics, with heat that saturated the humidity. A double-edged sword: the plant matter, fed with water and sunshine, grew allegro vivace but with high risk of disease (requiring perpetual watchfulness for mildew). This meant constant management and protection of the vines. Weekends and public holidays were exceptionally given up to tie, clip and trim. A demanding and devoted pace — such risk is no laughing matter, especially in organic conversion. Precise and careful work, revealing a collective art of constant vigilance.
FRUIT
AN ANTHOLOGY,
OR A THOUSAND LEAVES TO BIND.
WHAT IS YOUR STORY?
In an almost prophetic way, Cabernet Sauvignon is very much the centrepiece of this vintage, representing 85% of the blend. And over the next ten years, the vineyard will also be granting it pride of place.
This year, it has produced wines with great subtlety, featuring an elegant yet light structure with hints of fresh rose and blackcurrant blossom. Then comes the Merlot (13.5%), with a subtle counterpoint of roundness. Delicious notes of ripe, red and dark berries. An expressive, enveloping, nicely rounded generosity. Lastly, Petit Verdot makes a small but noticeable appearance (1.5%). It explores the flower: sap from the stem, slight bitterness from the leaf, and freshness from the petal.
The Blend
85%
13,5%
1,5%
Elegant rather than fleshy, contained rather than opulent, it boasts striking complexity and balance.
SIGNATURE
THE TASTE OF PROPORTIONS
— BALANCE AFTER THE STORM.
A PROFOUND HEART WITH
DEPTH.
The 2023 vintage is a beautifully crafted example of how to rejuvenate the exercise in Médoc. Elegant rather than fleshy, contained rather than opulent, it boasts striking complexity and balance. A fine wine which proudly holds its red character high, on the eye, nose and palate.
The fresh, ripe red of redcurrant and blackcurrant. The fresh, floral red of morning rose. The woody red of cedar. The spicy red of pink pepper.
A highly sophisticated character — just what was needed to take on the year, while remaining loyal to the excellence of Rauzan.
DOCUMENTATION
