With the estate itself dating back to 1772, and the logo taking inspiration from an ancient connection to the Knights Templars history in the Pomerol region, Chateau Gazin is steeped in both winemaking and national history. Sharing borders with Petrus and LEvangile, it more than holds its own among its distinguished peers! It has been in the possession of the same family since 1917, with the most recent descendent, Nicolas de Bailliencourt assuming control in 1988. Under de Bailliencourts watchful eye, the Chateau has abolished machine harvesting, making a return to hand-picking, and producing lower overall yields.

Product Information: Created in 1989, Ségla is made from vines located on the patchwork of terroirs encompassing the historic centre of Château Rauzan-Ségla. It takes its name from Baron Pierre-Louis de Ségla whose marriage with Catherine de Rauzan gave the full name of the property in 1785. The tower represented on its label was erected in 1905, this depicts the entrance of the property and that offers a spectacular view over the vineyards on one side and the park of the chateau on the other. Worked by the same team and according to the same requirements as the Grand Cru Classé, it is an initiation to the sophistication and the philosophy of the estate: a delicate, tasty and expressive style which elegantly imprints the distinction of the great terroirs of the Margaux appellation. 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 53% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1 % Cabernet Franc. 18 months in barrel, 20% new oak. Maker: The first vines were planted on the property in 1661, but the official birthdate of Chateau Rauzan-Segla is 1763, when it split from the neighbouring Rauzan-Gassies. The estate was gradually partitioned through successive generations of the Rauzan family, but its reputation grew, and come its classification in 1855, it shared the Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe stage with the likes of Chateau Mouton Rothschild (which was promoted 118 years later). Its late 19th century wines have become legendary. However, any subsequent success was met with obstacles – a decline in area under vine, obsolete cellar equipment and a proprietor who prioritised quantity over quality, to name but a few – and soon Rauzan Segla was overtaken by other second growth chateaux. Expansion of the vineyard and modernisation of equipment didn't occur until the estate was acquired by negociant Echenhauer. Under his ownership, a renovation program was initiated, which involved replacing old, unproductive vines and installing modern stainless steel tanks. Subsequent owners have continued improvements, helping to consolidate the Grand Vin as a true super-second, and in 1994 the property was taken over by the Alain and Gerard Wertheimers, grandsons of Chanel founder Pierre Wertheimer, giving the estate an injection of luxury. Vineyard: Rauzan-Ségla’s 70 hectares of vineyards are planted with the four Bordeaux grape varieties. They cover the array of geologies and soils found in the Margaux appellation and proudly reflect this diversity. Château Rauzan-Ségla’s grand vin is crafted with meticulous care and its grapes sourced from the main vineyards where the finest and, in particular, the old Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines grow in perfectly worked soils. When the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are included in the blend, they add yet another layer of complexity to the wine. The use of small vats enables Rauzan Segla to create a number of batches corresponding to the increasingly carefully-demarcated plots. Nose - Tobacco, Truffle, Red and Dark Fruits There hints of tobacco leaf, truffle, herbs and flowers poke through the ripe, red and dark red fruits. Palate - Concentrated, Silky, Generous The wine is concentrated, silky, uplifting and generous, as well as long, fresh and pure. Finish - Fresh, Pure, Controlled Controlled power, structured, with fine tannins. Tasted blind. Rich and rather opulent nose. Simple and easy with good refreshing raciness. Could be Rauzan-Ségla? Good and complete. Really zesty. Likely to be VGV - Vin de Garde de Viticulture" or Wine for Aging from Viticulture which refers to wines that are produced with the intention of aging. - Jancis Robinson. Still young, but you can find hints of tobacco leaf, truffle, herbs and flowers poke through the ripe, red and dark red fruits. The wine is concentrated, silky, uplifting and generous, as well as long, fresh and pure. This wine will need 12-15 years before it really starts opening and showing its true essence. - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, 97 Points.

Two words come to mind when you mention great Australian Merlot. Jim Irivne. Jim's Grand Merlot is the benchmark of complex and elegant Merlot in Australia and his Eden Valley vineyards are the perfect place to produce this iconic wine.

Podere La Brancaia is one of Tuscanys leading wine estates, each year winning national and international awards. The winery is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone at Poppi, in Radda in Chianti, and draws on its own fruit from Poppi and La Brancaia in Castellina. A selection of their best Sangiovese, with 20% Merlot, matured in barriques (half new) for 16 months, followed by 6 months in the bottle. Loaded with ripe fruits of dark cherry and plum, the Merlot gives the wine mid-palate depth and richness to make this a great wine for drinking now or cellaring over the short term.

A Merlot pressings wine that is the ultimate selection from the 2015 vintage. Pressings from each clonal batch were blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from the best barrel in the room. This selection process was based purely on merit and determined that a very limited number of bottles were made (745). A special limited production wine that will reward those committed to carefully cellaring it.