Bordeaux 2024: Rauzan-Ségla and Beau-Séjour Bécot round out the week

Rauzan-Ségla 2024 — Château Rauzan-Ségla

(Image credit: Château Rauzan-Ségla)

The trend for cuts continues with both releases, but cheaper vintages remain in the back catalogue of each as well.

That said, both properties are considered to be among the region’s rising stars which might draw interest.

Château Canon-la-Gaffelière was also released with a 20% cut and is the cheapest vintage currently available.

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

Released this morning (Friday, 16 May) at €31.5 per bottle ex-négociant (12.8% down on the 2023), the St-Emilion 1er gran cru classé is being offered by UK merchants for £225 per six bottles in-bond (IB).

The wine was among Georgie Hindle’s top-scorers with a rating of 96-points. She called it: ‘A great glass. Sappy, fruity, clean and salty. A true wine of place.’

Despite the reduction and some favourable scores, there are several back vintages available for less.

Consultancy group Wine Lister commented that: ‘While most 2024s have the lowest average scores for a decade, Beau-Séjour Bécot is a rare 2024 whose scores are on a par with certain recent vintages, which is probably why its release doesn’t fulfil the pricing criteria requested by the trade.’

Fine wine platform Liv-ex suggested that the high-scoring 2020 vintage available at £200 per six bottles ‘may present an interesting opportunity’.

Château Rauzan-Ségla

This Margaux second growth has grown in stature considerably in recent years alongside stablemate Château Canon in St-Emilion (both owned by the family behind Chanel).

The 2024 was released with a cut of 21.4%, down to €48 a bottle ex-négociant. UK merchants are offering it for £283 per six bottles IB.

The wine received a solid 95-points from Hindle who said it had, ‘plenty of style and refinement and a feeling of happiness about it’.

However, like Beau-Séjour Bécot, Liv-ex pointed out that a few back vintages such as the 2014, 2017 and 2021 were available for less if buyers were looking for something more immediately.

That said, Wine Lister noted that: ‘Rauzan-Ségla has strong brand goodwill and many critics rated the 2024 highly, so it could see traction in some corners.’