Chateau Rauzan-Segla Margaux 2008 750ml 93 pts Wine Enthusiast, 92 pts Jeff Leve

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Wine Spectator 90 points A touch soft, but persistent, with pretty floral, mulled plum and tobacco notes that glide over light, rounded tannins. The pure finish lets the fruit hang elegantly. This wins on balance rather than depth.Wine Enthusiast 93 points Big, rich, almost velvet in texture, this is a powerful wine. It has spice, black berry fruits, layers of wood and black plum skins. Powerful wine for long-term aging and medium-term accessibility.Wine Advocate 90 points The 2008 Rauzan-Segla (62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot) was made from 45% of the production. It is a beautiful wine in this vintage, not nearly as powerful and structured as the 2010, but it has complex notes of sweet red and black fruits, unsmoked cigar tobacco, spice box and a hint of very subtle wood. The complex perfume is followed by a dark ruby/plum-colored wine with beautifully sweet tannins, a silky, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long finish. This outstanding Margaux should drink nicely for 15-20 years.Stephen Tanzer 91 points Good dark, bright red. Deep, brooding aromas of blueberry, mulberry, tobacco, mint and pepper. Deep and sweet, with ripe mulberry and raspberry fruit nicely supported by a firm mineral underpinning. At once smooth and sappy, offering a captivating balance of sweetness and ripe acidity. Finishes strong and vibrant, with firm tannins supported by the wine's mid-palate fruit.Jeb Dunnuck 91 points The 2008 Rauzan-Ségla is a solid vintage and is still relatively youthful, yet it’s certainly drinking nicely. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, it has a cooler, black-fruited, menthol, and tobacco-driven bouquet as well as medium to full body, still present tannins, considerable elegance, and outstanding length. Overall it’s a pretty, well-balanced 2008 that’s going to continue evolving for another 15-20 years.James Suckling 93 points Here is 2008 with a velvety texture yet the underlying bright acidity comes through at the same time. Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Very pretty and energetic. Just opening now.Vinous 91 points The 2008 Rauzan-Ségla, a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, is just beginning to show signs of maturity in the glass. The bouquet has always been a little conservative and foursquare in my opinion, as if the Merlot needs to 'gee up' and impart more opulence and fruité. There is a light earthy scent, and a touch of warm brick infusing the dark berry fruit, but it does not quite 'billow' as you would like a Margaux wine to do. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a fine line of acidity, truffle tinged red berry fruit laced with mocha and leather. This is showing more secondary notes towards the finish, but I would still afford it maybe another year or two in bottle.