Rauzan-Ségla is one of the finest properties in Bordeaux, occupying great terroir in Margaux, comfortably at the top of the table of Second Growths, and currently enjoying one of the great periods of its history after twenty years of investment and very focussed management. It emerged in the seventeenth century at the same time as many of the other great estates of the Médoc were taking shape. Inheritance divided the Rauzan estate into Rauzan-Ségla and the lesser Rauzan-Gassies in the early eighteenth century. By the end of the century, Rauzan-Ségla was famous worldwide. Thomas Jefferson ordered ten cases after his 1787 tour of Bordeaux. In 1855, it was ranked as a Second Growth. For most of the twentieth century, it was well managed by the Cruse family, and never went through the doldrums that some properties passed through. The great Bordeaux frost of 1956 devastated the vineyards here. Mass replanting followed. The chateau also spent some time spelling its name as Rausan- Ségla, before reverting to the spelling ‘Rauzan’ (in 1994).

In 1994, Rauzan-Ségla was sold to the owners of Chanel, the Wertheimer brothers. They immediately began extensive renovations. The vineyards were replanted, and proper drains were installed. The chateau building itself was refurbished. The cellars were completely reformed (not without mishap, since they flooded and took years to properly dry out). The widely-respected John Kolasa was appointed Estate Director, and when he retired he was succeeded by the equally capable Nicolas Audebert.

The 74 hectare vineyard is planted to 62% Cabernet Sauvignon/36% Merlot/1% Cabernet Franc/1% Petit Verdot. The grand vin comes almost entirely from plots on Terrasse 4, a wide, clay-rich strip of gravel shared with Brane-Cantenac and Margaux. (NT 07/08/25)