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100-Points by Jeb Dunnuck.

Probably one of my most consistent 100 pointers, I've been lucky enough to taste through close to a case of this beauty and it's never failed to just utterly blow me away. Still purple-hued with maybe just a hint of lightening around the edges, the 2009 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou offers an incredible bouquet of black currants, white truffle, cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and a hint of flowers. A good portion of its baby fat has melted away, and it's full-bodied and elegant on the palate, with silky tannins, incredible depth of fruit, and a gorgeous finish. This is pure elegance and finesse paired with richness and texture. A quintessential Bordeaux, drink bottles any time over the coming 40-50 years. It actually reminds me of the 1982, only better!

Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot.

 

History of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou:

  • Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a well-regarded wine estate in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux's Haut-Médoc wine region, on the so-called "left bank" of the Gironde estuary. The estate and its eponymous grand vin (the estate's principle wine) was rated a second growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.
  • It is often described as the quintessential Saint-Julien – deeply colored and powerfully ripe, yet balanced and harmonious. The grand vin usually needs 10 years of aging and can last for decades. A second wine, Croix de Beaucaillou, is also produced from the Ducru vineyard.
  • The 75-hectare (185-acre) vineyard is situated in the southeast of the appellation, north of the village of Beychevelle and bordering Branaire-Ducru and Beychevelle to the south, with Léoville and Langoa Barton to the north.
  • The Ducru-Beaucaillou château and estate lies relatively close to the broad Gironde estuary, which moderates the local microclimate and gives some protection from frost and hail. On the deeper gravel layers of the vineyard there is enhanced drainage, evening warmth, and a protective layer stopping the subsoil from drying out in heat waves. Alluvial deposits and a high clay content enrich the soil, and the vineyard takes its name from these "beautiful stones". It is planted 70 percent to Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 percent to Merlot.Grapes are sorted in the vineyard on mobile tables to promptly separate out any unhealthy grapes, and specific vineyard plots are vinified separately. Barrel-ageing uses between 50-80 percent new wood, depending on the vintage. The château is unusual for the region in being built directly over the wine cellars, and in that it is still inhabited by the family who own the estate. The Borie family also own the châteaux Lalande-Borie in Saint-Julien and Ducluzeau in Listrac-Médoc.

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France 2009

SKU: 118 + 124
$1,900.00 Regular Price
$1,200.00Sale Price
  • Style

    Red
  • Vintage

    2009

  • Bin

    118 + 124

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