2000 'Segla' by Rauzan Segla, Margaux

I opened this with much excitement because I know firsthand that the best Bordeaux offerings from the 2000 vintage are just beguiling in all senses.

Pull the cork, and the aromas immediately break free into the glass. A beautiful mahogany core with only the slightest fading to the rim—can this really be 24 years old? It has the appearance of a much more youthful wine. But then the aromas, wow! Even with the glass sitting two feet away on my desk, the aromas are spilling over. Such vibrant fruit still, but enveloped by those sought-after scents of aged leather, graphite, pencil shavings, polished wood, and warming cedar.

On the palate, a swathe of sweet mulberry and black forest fruit, black cherry, and dark chocolate drift effortlessly from the glass. Again, what struck me was the vibrancy of the fruit. As the fruit subsides, secondary flavours emerge, starting with a leathery, earthy character, a graphite core, and a fine, beautifully integrated tannic grip. The finish is nearly endless with warming cedar, leather, and polished wood alongside that vibrant fruit, each post-tasting breath releasing more complexity and sensual pleasure.

A real treat to taste such a fine wine at perfect maturity.

- James Russell-Grant, Mr.Wheeler Wine