Returning to its rightful place

IT is always very gratifying to see a stalwart name restored to its former glory. Such has been the case with Chateau Rauzan-Segla since 1994 when John Kolasa took over the Chateau's management for the Wertheimer family, owners of the famed Chanel perfume company. Before that, the Chateau had languished in the shade, its wines a shadow of its former self.

It may be interesting to know that in the authoritative 1855 classification, Rauzan-Segla was second to Mouton Rothschild in the list of Second Growths. Mouton, as everyone knows, was elevated to First Growth in 1973, leaving Rauzan-Segla at the top of the list of Seconds.

The Chateau has gone through a succession of owners since the original Rauzan family sold it to the Durand-Dassier family, whose daughter subsequently married into the Cruse family who acquired the winery in 1903. The estate was put up for sale in 1957 after the death of patriarch Frederic Cruse.