2006 CHÂTEAU DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien, Lea & Sandeman

CHÂTEAU DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU

2006 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien

Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Village Saint Julien
Classification 2ème Cru Classé
ABV 13%

Lovely nose, harmonious, floral, balanced purity. Perfect Saint Julien. Intense but not overly so, pure and direct yet complex too, cedar and spice. Again the tannins indices are similar to 2005, but this is not showing any aggression. Concentrated, intense and long with juice, an irrepressible coulis de fruit on the finish. One can only hope that the price will be less insane than last year. Rating: 94 L&S (Apr 2007)


Alternatively, we may well have some bottles in one of our shops - why not give us a call on 0207 244 0522 or send an email to: sales@leaandsandeman.co.uk.

Or, check the RELATED PRODUCTS below for different vintages or wines of a similar style.


The 2006 Ducru-Beaucaillou, matured in 90% new oak, has quite a captivating, very attractive bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit, peony, crushed rocks and blood orange - one of my favourite aromatics on the Left Bank in this growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity, quite linear and "solid". There is a lot of concentration towards the finish, a dab of spice that leaves the tongue tingling. Maybe it could benefit from more nuance and personality on the finish, but it is certainly a very fine Saint-Julien for the vintage. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. Drinking range: 2025 - 2048 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2022)

Bright red-ruby. Deep, vibrant aromas of currant, sour cherry, graphite, cedar and licorice. Sappy, suave and energetic, with terrific verve and framing acidity to the tightly wound flavors of dark cherry, currant, spices and minerals. Wonderfully primary and penetrating Saint-Julien, almost painfully intense yet weightless. Finishes very long and fine, with terrific definition. An infant today, with a long life ahead of it. Rating: 93 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (May 2009)

Deep medium ruby. Cool, refined aromas of black fruit pastille, licorice, minerals and violet, all lifted by a brisk peppery nuance. Dense, lush and fine-grained, with lovely definition to the flavors of black fruits, minerals, tobacco leaf and graphite. Still a bit youthfully clenched today, and less ripe than the 2005, but the substantial tannins are suave and fine. Wonderfully stylish wine that nonetheless has great backbone for a long evolution in bottle. This struck me as modern in style yet clearly Ducru-Beaucaillou. Rating: 91-94 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (May 2007)

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.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
  • For full delivery details see our Delivery page.
  • We offer free nationwide* delivery for all orders over £150 with our own vans. We also offer an express delivery service for an additional charge.
  • Order & Collect from any of our 5 London shops. Order by Midnight for collection the next working day from 11am.
  • Private wine storage: we offer a full In Bond and Duty Paid private wine storage service - find out more here.

RELATED PRODUCTS

ORDER     COLLECT

ORDER ONLINE AND COLLECT FROM ONE OF OUR SHOPS