Château Rauzan Gassies, 2ème Cru Classé, Margaux, 2012

Good ripe concentration of fruit and good depth with Margaux florality, this chateau continues to move upwards in quality.

This is tight and austere right now, but with bulky tannins that take up space and make their point, the red fruits lying underneath. It's a clear step up from the second wine in this vintage, with plenty of pleasure to offer over the next decade. It underwent 12 months of ageing in 50% new oak - fairly short for a second growth, but Rauzan-Gassies is always one of the more approachable 1855 classifieds in the short- to medium-term.