CHÂTEAU DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU
2008 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien
| Colour | Red |
| Origin | France, Bordeaux |
| Sub-district | Haut Médoc |
| Village | Saint Julien |
| Classification | 2ème Cru Classé |
| ABV | 13% |
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 90% new wood. The oak does show, but not at all excessively. Finely tannic rich feel in the mouth. Velvety thickness remains fresh. Dusty tannins and plummy, real damson depths. Lovely alliance of power and freshness. Rating: 92-93 L&S (Apr 2009)
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The 2008 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a fresh and vibrant nose. Occasionally this can come across a little stemmy and maybe it does here, but it is a facet that I think lends complexity and intrigue, touches of brine combining wonderfully with the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannins. There is a solid backbone to this Ducru-Beaucaillou; maybe this bottle is just closing in a little and one that would have benefitted from more decanting (indeed, it develops more precision in the glass.) Very fine, but give it more time. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. Drinking range: 2027 - 2050 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2022)
The 2008 Ducru Beaucaillou has a very well defined bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, mineral and smoke. This is very focused and detailed, the oak beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, a fine line of acidity, crisp and detailed with a harmonious finish laced with white pepper that lingers in the mouth. There was a point where the 2008 came across as a little stemmy however, this element has clearly been subsumed and it should age with style over the next two decades. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 10-Year On tasting. Drinking range: 2018 - 2038 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)
Ruby-red. Pungent, vibrant aromas of cassis, bitter chocolate and graphite. Silky and seamless, but with terrific lift to the tight core of raspberry, mineral and chocolate flavors. Strong but integrated acidity gives superb vinosity to the wine's racy fruit. Finishes brisk, perfumed and long, with suave, dusty tannins. This wine went into a shell with aeration, suggesting that it will need at least several years of bottle aging. I would not be surprised if it merited an even higher score ten years down the road. Rating: 92 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Jul 2011)
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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