1983 Rauzan Segla

The 1983 Rauzan-Ségla comes from a highly regarded vintage for Margaux, however I have encountered much better bottles previously. That said, I have never found Rauzan-Ségla to be up there with the likes of Palmer or Château Margaux. Mature in appearance with a tawny rim, the nose feels more diffuse than the 1990, soft in texture and quite savory in style with notes of dried blood, truffle and smoke dominating the vestiges of black fruit. It just attenuates a little towards the final third, although at least there is appreciable freshness after 35 years. Overall, given the renown of the 1983 Margaux appellation, you might expect more. Drink soon. Tasted at the Rauzan-Ségla vertical at the château.

Fully mature, this has always been one of the best wines of the vintage. The stunning aromatics soar out of the glass, offering up notes of acacia flower intermixed with black currants, smoke, tobacco, and incense. A luscious texture in a beautifully concentrated but very pure, medium to full-bodied style displays layers of flavor as well as a seamlessness that is endearing if not compelling. The wine is a beauty and is the first vintage to signal the return of Rauzan-Segla to the ranks of quality Bordeaux chateau. Anticipated maturity: Now-2009. Last tasted, 3/02.

Fully mature, this seductively rich wine offers a knock-out nose of spring flowers, black fruits, smoke, and roasted herbs. Expansive and round with a velvety texture, real opulence, and low acidity, this concentrated, deliciously layered and intense wine reveals no hard edges. It represents the beginning of Rauzan-Segla's rebound in quality. Anticipated maturity: Now-2008. Last tasted 12/96 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition # B1