A showstopper of a wine for me in 2021. Wonderful aromatic intensity on the nose filled with perfumed fruits, chocolate and wild flowers. Gorgeous clarity and precision, the tannins are fine and powdery supporting the vibrant and energetic purple and black fruit; zingy blackcurrant, strawberry, cherry and plum with an overall creamy chalky texture and grip. Elegant and glamorous - so much styling on show, it feels polished and pristine with clear markings from the terroir but no harshness or austerity just great acidity and liveliness. Such mouthwatering salivation and lift at the end making you want another glass just to taste it again. Tasted twice and both times I loved it. Pure and precise with everything you want from a 2021. A yield of 38hl/ha. Ageing 18 months, 60% new barrels. (GH)

One of the undeniable successes is the 2021 Château Rauzan-Ségla, which emerges from yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare and is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. It has remarkable depth and density as well as classic aromas of cassis, tobacco, spicy oak, and subtle floral notes. These all carry to a medium-bodied, concentrated 2021 with polished tannins and a great finish. It's one classy, seamless, elegant Margaux that will drink well right out of the gate yet keep for 20 years.

Representing around 44% of the estate's production (more or less as usual), the 2021 Rauzan-Ségla unwinds in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, blackberries, loamy soil, dark chocolate and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively concentrated, it's layered and seamless, with a sweet core of fruit, powdery tannins, lively acids and an impressively penetrating finish. The Rauzan team opted to ferment Merlot rather cooler than normal this year to moderate extraction. (WK)