CHÂTEAU RAUZAN GASSIES

Margaux Deuxième cru 1855 During the late 17th Century Pierre Desmezures de Rauzan gradually accumulated a sizable portfolio of vineyard property in Pauillac and Margaux. The Pauillac properties ended up, through his daughter's marriage into the Pichon family, as the two great Pichon châteaux (and a small parcel even ended up as part of Château Latour). The Margaux vineyards continued with the family name until 1792 when the Rauzan estate was split between two daughters, one whom married Pierre Louis de Ségla and the other who was married to the Seigneur de Gassies. The Ségla side of the split got the château itself and so, today, the chais serves as a functional château whilst the Quié family, who have owned Rauzan-Gassis since 1946, live at another one of their properties. The Château itself lies just south of Margaux, with the vineyards spread between Margaux and Cantenac. There are 28.5ha of vines planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel and wines are aged for 12 months in oak (30% new). The wines of Château Rauzan-Gassies are reliable and relatively fast maturing, reaching their peak at around ten years after the harvest, although in great years the wines will improve for further ten years after that.