2018 Château Rauzan-Gassies

The 2018 Rauzan Gassies has improved on the nose since I tasted it from barrel, losing some of its earthiness/greenness, light floral scents percolating through the black fruit. So far, so good. The palate is medium-bodied with hard tannins on the entry, and here there is a bit of herbaceousness. The finish feels bitter and stiff compared to its peers. I take no joy in writing that this is disappointing after the promising aromatics.

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot. Mid-deep ruby. A little herbal on the nose with blackcurrant leaf. Fresh, leafy fruit that is a little dilute on the palate. Very bright in acid and crunchy in tannin, but the perception is a little hollow. (TP)

The 2018 Rauzan Gassies has a reserved, earthy, mulch-y bouquet that is very atypical for the vintage, though it seems well defined and fresh. The palate is medium-bodied and chewy, with dry tannins and some attenuation toward the finish. I wish I could find a Rauzan Gassies that delivers in the same way that vintages from the 1950s did, and maybe my expectations were raised by a growing season that might have countered the lightness of this Margaux. It just does not deliver.