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Wine Description
The Story
The work in the vineyard at Rauzan-Ségla is carried out plot by plot, plant by plant. The harvest is performed with the same painstaking care as the other tasks throughout the year. Each step is approached with the same attention to detail, from the picking to the production of the new wine.
Each vintage must be considered unique and be treated as such, demanding a renewed attention and making any attempt at an annual routine quite impossible. At Rauzan Ségla, nothing is left to chance, adapting to each year’s weather conditions and bringing out the best characteristics of the vintage. Not a day goes by without the technical team roaming up and down the rows of vines, tasting the grapes and judging their readiness. It is their expert palates that will dictate the harvest dates for each plot. This decision is primordial and carries with it the very style of the property. Precision and delicatesse are required if we are to pick grapes that are both ripe and fresh-tasting. When the signal is finally given the grapes are picked by hand with the greatest care. After a first selection by the picker, the bunches are placed in small six-kilo individual crates to avoid any crushing. They are then transported to the cellar to be sorted.
Wine Information
1966 is an outstanding year for very classic and delicate wines. However, the year started out as anything but promising. The major rainfall that started at the end of June continued into July, but the hot start to August dried the soil and the weather gradually improved toward autumn, until it was nearly perfect for the harvest.
These wines share a truly classic, graceful and high-quality character so typical of Bordeaux wines, thus making them elegant and well balanced. Today many of these are still good. If carefully stored, many of the best wines may still mature, but the following rule of thumb should be observed: drink or sell them off immediately. In our opinion, this is one of the finest vintages that can be purchased today. Nearly all the AOC wines are still in excellent condition, and the top examples, such as the Palmer, Latour, Haut-Brion, Lafleur and Pétrus, are excellent. There is a wide selection of nicely priced First, Second and Third growth wines on the market. For example, the Cos d’Estournel, Calon-Ségur and Lynch-Bages offer an exceptional price-quality ratio. As a rule, a one hour decanting is sufficient.
Price trends for this vintage no longer show any significant upward movement – the increase in price over the past ten years has been around 55%. The rise in price will continue alongside the maturation of top wines perhaps until 2015, when any wines still surviving should be removed from the cellar and sold or drunk immediately.
Vintage 1966
1966 was an exceptional year in Bordeaux for very classic and delicate wines. However, the year started off as anything but promising. The main rainfall that began in late June continued into July, but the hot start to August dried out the soil and the weather gradually improved towards autumn, until it is almost perfect for harvest.
These wines share a truly classic, graceful and high quality character so typical of Bordeaux wines, making them elegant and balanced. Today, many of them are still good. If carefully stored, many of the best wines can still mature, but the following rule of thumb should be observed: drink them or sell them immediately. In our opinion, this is one of the finest vintages you can buy today. Almost all AOC wines are still in excellent condition, and the best examples, such as Palmer, Latour, Haut-Brion, Lafleur and Pétrus, are excellent. There is a wide selection of well-priced first, second and third growth wines on the market. For example, Cos d’Estournel, Calon-Ségur and Lynch-Bages offer exceptional value for money. As a general rule, decanting for one hour is sufficient.
The price development of this vintage no longer shows any significant upward movement – the price increase over the last ten years has been around 55%. Rising prices will continue as the best wines mature, perhaps until 2020, when any surviving wines should be removed from the cellar and sold or drunk immediately.
