LA CROIX DE BEAUCAILLOU
2011 du Château Ducru Beaucaillou Saint Julien
| Colour | Red |
| Origin | France, Bordeaux |
| District | Left Bank |
| Sub-district | Haut Médoc |
| Village | Saint Julien |
| ABV | 14% |
From vines that are the other side of the road to Ducru itself, with a different exposition, dipping down to the Mouline creek which divides the southern half of the appellation from the Léovilles to the north. 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot. Deep purple, rich and harmonious, rounded, nothing out of place. There's an ample ripeness and fruitiness combined with a luxy, voluptuous style. Brilliantly done! Rating: 92 L&S (Apr 2012)
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Or, check the RELATED PRODUCTS below for different vintages or wines of a similar style.
The ripeness on the nose fills it out all quite black fruited. Black cherry and cassis intermingle on the palate the ripe feeling fruit supported by quite firm tannins. There is a good depth and weight of fruit on the finish. 2020-40 Rating: 88-91 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Dec 2013)
The opaque ruby/purple-tinged 2011 Croix de Beaucaillou (80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot) exhibits copious aromas of incense, Christmas fruitcake and red and black currants presented in a richly fruity, opulent style that is almost atypical in a vintage such as 2011 (which generally emphasizes acidity, delineation and more traditional structure and freshness). This beauty is clearly a sleeper of the vintage. It should drink well for 10-15 years. If you haven’t noticed yet, it’s time to jump on Bruno Borie’s bandwagon for the two wines being produced from separate parts of the Ducru Beaucaillou vineyard. 2012 - 2027 Rating: 90-92 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com (Apr 2012)
The 2011 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. It has fine delineation on the nose that is dominated by creamy new oak at the moment, although it is completely in synch with the ebullient ripe blackberry and briary fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with quite succulent tannins. There is a keen thread of citrus lemon and a touch of orange rind, with fine delineation and poise towards the tensile finish. This is a very fine second wine for the vintage, fresh and lively. Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2012)
Château Ducru Beaucaillou
St Julien Deuxième cru 1855 When the Beychevelle estate was broken up in 1642, in order to pay off the debts of the deceased owner, it gave birth to three Châteaux - Beychevelle, Branaire-Ducru and Ducru-Beaucaillou. Château Ducru Beaucaillou was so named because of the quality lent to the wine by the large pebbles in the soil - the "good pebbles" being "beau caillou" (although it was originally "Maucaillou", "bad pebbles" not being much use for any other kind of agriculture). In 1795, the estate was purchased by Bertrand Ducru, and the name was complete. The early years on the 20th Century were not kind to Ducru-Beaucaillou, but salvation was on hand with its purchase by Francis Borie in 1941. Apart from some problems with TCA during the late 1980's, the tenure of the Borie family has been a time of continuing improvement at Ducru-Beaucaillou. Today, Francis' grandson Bruno Borie heads up the estate. The Borie family also own Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Haut Batailley. The 75ha of vineyard are planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot have, apparently, left the blend. The Grand Vin spends 18 to 20 months in wood, with the proportion of new wood varying between vintages. A second wine was introduced in 1995 - La Croix de Beaucaillou. Also produced at Ducru-Beaucaillou is Château Lalande-Borie from vineyard purchased from Château Lagrange in 1970 which, although it could perfectly legally be absorbed into Château Ducru Beaucaillou, has always been produced as a seperate wine.
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RELATED PRODUCTS
2019 SARGET DE GRUAUD LAROSE du Château Gruaud Larose Saint Julien
Bordeaux France 13.5% Red
. Half-bottles
The 2019 Sarget de Gruaud-Larose has a well-defined bouquet with tertiary red berry fruit, understated initially but gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, quite tarry with a...(read more)
Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
1996 CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE BARTON 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien
Left Bank Bordeaux France 13% Red
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc.
The 1996 Leoville Barton appears more youthful than the 1996 Langoa Barton in the glass with a healthy deep garnet core. The aromatics unfurl gracefully in the glass revealing briary, wild hedgerow, black truffle and san...(read more)
Neal Martin, www.vinous.comORDER COLLECT
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