Victoria Bull from our Buying team has the pleasure of sourcing bottles from private collections – many of them astonishingly old. Uncorking them is a special moment, a delicate operation accompanied by bated breath and crossed fingers. But in the case of this 1945 vintage from Château Rauzan-Ségla, it was well worth the effort.  

How many people does it take to open a bottle of wine? Well, when the bottle in question is a Berry Bros. & Rudd bottling of a 1945 Château Rauzan-Ségla, from Margaux, there needed to be no fewer than four of us to oversee the operation. One colleague to dutifully provide his Durand – a sleek and efficient bottle-opening device that combines the prongs of the butler’s thief, and the helix of a traditional corkscrew – another colleague to employ said device, and two more of us to look on with bated breath and sweaty palms. The Durand worked its magic, and all at one with the Rauzan-Ségla, we breathed a sigh of relief. With the bottle unlocked, we could assess the liquid within.  

It is a rare occasion when one needs to summon the Durand. It suggests that an especially mature bottle of wine is about to be opened; and a ritual, undertaken with reverence, ensues. Similar to unwrapping a present or placing a small bet on an outside horse; actions of unknown promise, where there is opportunity for disappointment, or great reward.    

The 1945 Rauzan-Ségla was a particularly significant bottle. Now approaching its octogenarian decade, the wine was made in the “victory vintage” – and made, poignantly, mostly by women. This is a vintage that would no doubt garner respect and appreciation, even if the wines hadn’t been so impressive. However, the year was blessed with perfect growing conditions, and it stands with ’21, ’59, ’61 and ’82 as one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages of the 20th century. A severe frost naturally reduced yields, resulting in grapes of great concentration, while the consistent warmth of August and September meant a steady ripening and slow accumulation of sugars. Small berries with ripe tannins promised wines of exceptional longevity.  

The wine was, indeed, a triumph. We were delighted, and the appreciation to be able to try this bottle was felt strongly by all. Extraordinarily, the palate still danced with fresh fruit; more blackberry and currant than red fruits, while the structure was firm. The wine was brooding and concentrated; it immersed our palates with black fruit, while drawing our minds back to the past.  

We poured it alongside ’61s and ’67s, and the difference was remarkable. The ’61s were still holding up well, as showcased by Berry Bros. & Rudd bottlings of Grand Cru Classé châteaux. We also tried some ’67s, a cold year, which resulted in inevitable widespread chaptalisation. The wines were a little thin, but not unpleasant, with some expected cigar box and cedarwood aroma.  

These wines may have passed their expected drinking window, but we were not there for the scores. It was a total pleasure to discover how each wine clearly encapsulated its vintage. In Bordeaux, where the weather is more marginal and less predictable, vintage variation has always been pronounced. Nowadays, with the effects of climate change and continuous improvements in technology and equipment, vintages are more qualitatively consistent. Therefore, when opening a mature bottle, you are placing yourself right back into the summer of ’69 – or in this case ’67, ’61 or ’45 – and sampling a true flavour of history.  

Of course, wines do not need to be half a century old for us to appreciate their age. The 2005 vintage was an exceptional one, producing a bumper crop of ripe berries. Nearly 20 years on, it’s drinking beautifully now. While wines from ’11 and ’13 – vintages oft overlooked, being overshadowed by the quality of ’10 and the drinkability of ’14 – are excellent options, hitting the lovely spot between maturity and affordability. These bottles have all been waiting for the perfect moment to be opened – and that perfect moment is when you decide it to be, whether you need a Durand, or not. 

Explore the wines of Rauzan-Ségla here