Stefan Dolhain

8.9

2009 vintage. I had no idea that Rauzan-Ségla also produced a Haut-Medoc, from vineyards East of Arsac that fall just outside the Margaux appellation. First nose was a bit lactic, but it improved dramatically after 15 minutes. Not particularly complex but a smooth charming fully mature Bordeaux. Amazing how even simple Bordeaux wines can age that long. Abv 13%. — 2 years ago

Kimberly

9.0

Very light, very little tart aftertaste — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 1961 Brane-Cantenac is a wine that I have been lucky enough to taste three or four times before. It’s a wonderful 1961 that comes racing out of the blocks, displaying vestiges of red fruit, autumn leaves, mint, chlorophyll and blood orange on the nose. It just feels multifaceted and more complex than the 1959, even if it does not quite reveal the same vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and impressive concentration. It is maybe a little rustic in style but certainly shows more depth and concentration than the 1961 Rauzan-Sègla that I tasted a month earlier. There is a touch of Earl Grey and tobacco lingering on the finish. Maybe this is in gradual decline, since it does not match the stellar bottle tasted back in 2010, yet it remains a great Margaux. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, January 2019) — 5 years ago

Impulsive Culinarian

9.2

Good luck finding out Anything about Paul Quié & the vineyard responsible for this incredible Bordeaux. It’s my new all-time favourite, the fabled Tridente-killer, and I can’t find out ANY details about it! Will need to have a good talk with Frederic at the St Charles SAQ asap! Wow, this is unbelievable wine. Ps: found the producer’s site at http://www.domaines-quie.com/ titled les domaines Rauzan Gassies, but with no content and ‘new site coming soon’ ... aaaagh! — 6 years ago

Richard C

9.6

Bold yet smooth. Pairs well with foie grois and hard cheeses — 7 years ago

web bond

9.1

Handles oak better than Rauzan-Segla 2005. — 8 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

8.9

Showing age. — 8 years ago

Catherine Carrier

9.4

Château Rauzan Despagne Bordeaux 2011 — 10 years ago

Tami Richards

9.8

Pretty excited to be getting the 2020 to sell anyday. Just tried the 2019 and really loved it. Got to listen to the winemaker. Amazing! He is also the winemaker for Chateau Rauzan Segla and Chateau Canon. Really cool. Looking forward to the 2020! — 3 years ago

Stuart Scheff

9.2

Masculine succulent and bold but also feminine fragrant of violet and lilac. 2nd growth but it’s hard to tell. — 4 years ago

Rachel Dettman

9.0

Advent night 2. Very enjoyable. 2018 vintage. — 4 years ago

Bryn Dj

9.2

Dad’s away. Would buy again. — 6 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Pichon Lalande is my favorite 2nd growth with a steak. Yup...it's #SteakandClaret night to quote my buddy Gary Westby. Further, it's certainly one of my favorite producers period. I've waited for this wine to be in the bottle for 10 years before finding out definitely how good it was or wasn't. You see, the 05 Bordeaux vintage was exceptional. It's drinking right now better than 00. 00 may turn out to be better, but not for some time. The real issue was the division of scores between RP & NM. Parker had this as low as an 86 and now has it at 89. Neil Martin has been consistently at 95-96. I found it simply inexplicable that Pichon Lalande could have bombed in such a great vintage. Tonight, I know they didn't. This wine is beautiful. Although, I don't believe it will cellar as long as their some of their very best vintages and many others I've enjoyed. On the nose, bramble, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries, graphite, baking spices, cedar, lightly perfumed violets and dark, fresh & dry red flowers. The body is medium-medium plus, tannins nicely resolved with 10 years to be completely resolved. Fruits of; ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries and pomegranate with a whiff of spice. There's notes of dry bramble, soft leather, fresh violets, graphite, cedar, dry stones, dark rich earth, limestone, tobacco, spice-box, vanilla, very light cinnamon & nutmeg. The finish is very long, elegant, ripe, round, smooth, good acidity and beautifully elegant...50-50 earth & fruit. I bought more bottles of this at $85 after it's was first released in futures and I do not regret it. $85 is proving to be a steal for this wine when it normally sells for between $100-$150 a bottle and higher. Might heavy up further after tonight if I find more around the same price. Oh yes...I'm with NM on the scoring. Photos of the Chateau, estate vines, newer tasting room & the Virginie de Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Forgive my long post, but my passion and love for this producer is profound. Producer history and notes...as I wrote in an earlier post for Pichon Baron, Pichon Baron and Lalande started as one entity. The first mention of what is now called Chateau Pichon Lalande was the creation of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan is responsible for forming many of the top Bordeaux estates today. Pichon Lalande was given its name when Therse, the daughter of the founder received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville. Pichon Lalande was essentially managed by three women, Therese de Rauzan, Germaine de Lajus and Marie Branda de Terrefort. On the eve of his death in 1850, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville divided the property between his five children. His three daughters received Pichon Lalande and his sons Pichon Baron. What happened next was Virginie, the wife of the Count of Lalande took over the management of the estate under the name of Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850 she commissioned the popular, architect Duphot to build a residence inspired by the Hotel de Lalande, located in Bordeaux. Without heirs, Pichon Lalande passed down from aunts to nieces. Following World War I, the Miailhe brothers, bought Pichon Lalande in 1925. They were the ones who planted even more Merlot. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe became the new owner and general manager of Chateau Pichon Lalande in 1978. She expand the size of Chateau Pichon Lalande from 40 hectares to it's current 89 hectares. Chateau Pichon Lalande remained in the same family for more than 250 years! In fact, over three centuries, only two families have owned Pichon Lalande. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing sold Pichon Lalande to the owners of Roederer Champagnein in January 2007. This family-run company is managed by Frederic Rouzaud who owned several other wine estates in Bordeaux; Chateau Bernadotte, Chateau de Pez, Haut Beausejour and Chateau Reaut la Graviere. He sold Chateau Bernadotte in December 2012. In February, 2011, Sylvie Cazes was named the director of Chateau Pichon Lalande. She replaced Gildas d’Ollone. Sylvie Cazes was replaced in 2012 by current Director Nicolas Glumineau, who was previously at Chateau Montrose. In 2012, Pichon Lalande renovated the estate with a budget estimated at over 15 Million Euros. The new facilities included; building of a new underground barrel aging cellar and several new buildings...one that houses their new tasting room as shown. This renovation provided numerous improvements in their wine making. Most importantly, in the vinification. They created a new, triple tiered, cellar where everything moves by gravity. They also added numerous new, stainless steel, temperature controlled, double skinned vats. These new vats allow Pichon Lalande to vinify on a parcel by parcel basis as well as get much softer & gentle extractions. The 89 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande is located adjacent to Chateau Latour and and across the road from Pichon Baron. The terroir of Chateau Pichon Lalande is deep gravel with clay and limestone soil and is planted to; 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. — 7 years ago

Rodney Miller

9.2

No obvious signs of aging at 18 as its dark purple in the glass. Smooth tannins a medium finish with notes of dark fruits. Bought upon release and “forgotten”. A real gem. — 3 years ago

Cheryl Golden

9.0

Nice and light white with a slight fruit finish. French tasting. Would enjoy this in the summer. Received in my wine advent calendar, day 2. — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The right order with our Porterhouses. Still has the Margaux elegance presence but, lacks the quality of fruit & characteristics of the 06 Rauzan-Segla.

Not the best vintage I’ve had from Lascombes. Interesting as this was a warm vintage. All my previous 2003’s have shown bright, ripe fruit. The fruits were dull & lacked freshness which, is very different than the other 03’s I’ve had to this point. I don’t know if the staff trimmed too much canopy and the fruit got too much heat and UV light, therefore losing freshness along with a lack of water during the season.

This will still drink well for another 5-8 years before it declines. Our Porterhouses helped contribute to a better experience masking some of its shortcomings.

The wine showed dull, dark fruit with more earthiness than expected given its evolution from its bottle age. Dry soil & clay, stones, dry forest floor, dry tobacco, used leather and withering & dark flowers. The acidity was pleasant but not up to par. The finish lacked Margaux beauty but, it did pop up here and there. Just no consistency. The fruit was flat and lots of dry earth on the long set. Not bad just no up to what I expect from Lascombes and the vintage.

Photos of; Chateau Lascombes, concrete tank cellar, barrel room with some unique lighting for a Bordeaux producer and their tasting salon. — 4 years ago

Sylvia

9.4

Amazing for price, $12 or so, 2016 — 6 years ago

Andrew G

9.2

Third wine of Chateau Rauzan-Ségla. Intense cassis and blackberry with earth notes sourced from younger vines. Egidio, you'd probably really like this. 92+ — 7 years ago

tim heyman

9.1

very good in horizontal with rauzan gassiez — 8 years ago

Warren Egnal

9.0

Love Margaux. So soft, elegant and sophisticated. Cantenac Brown is a close 3rd this year after Margaux itself and Rauzan Segla. — 9 years ago

with Connie