Château RAUZAN-SÉGLA 2000
During the late 17th Century Pierre Desmezures de Rauzan gradually accumulated a sizable portfolio of vineyard property in Pauillac and Margaux. The Pauillac properties ended up, through his daughter's marriage into the Pichon family, as the two great Pichon châteaux (and a small parcel even ended up as part of Château Latour).
The estate got awarded 2nd Growth status in 1855.
Frédéric Cruse bought Rauzan-Ségla in 1903 and had the present château built, although the 54 years of Cruse family ownership saw the estate go into slow decline. Through the 1970's and into the 1980's, however, much needed investment and renewal put Château Rauzan-Ségla back on the map.
There are just over 50ha of vines spread between Margaux and Cantenac - 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and just 1% Cabernet Franc. The hand-harvested grapes are fremented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel before spending up to 20 months in oak (50%-60% new). For a long time the estate was spelt "Rausan-Ségla" but, in 1994, they reverted to the historical spelling with a "z".
2000 is an excellent year for Bordeaux wines. The spring was hot and rainy, and the summer did not start until the end of July, very dry and scorching, finally allowing a good maturity and a perfect concentration of the grapes. The 2000 red wines are superbly structured and cut for a long aging time.