€201.60incl. VAT
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Critics’ scores and tasting notes
“Blackcurrants and blueberries with violets and crushed stone. Extremely aromatic. Full-bodied but very tight and reserved, with racy, almost steely tannins. Some subtle sweet fruit in the center palate. Great transparency and clarity. Super precision here. Vertical and polished. Try after 2028.”
The origins of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou date back to 1720. Its name comes from the “beautiful, large stones” that characterise its terroir and contribute directly to the identity of its wines. Located in Saint-Julien, the estate occupies a Médoc site overlooking the Gironde estuary. The Borie family has owned Ducru-Beaucaillou for more than sixty years. The Ducru-Beaucaillou vineyard covers 75 hectares in the eastern part of the appellation, closest to the Gironde, on the deepest Quaternary gravel. The immediate proximity of the estuary softens both harsh winters and intense summer heat and helps to moderate the climate of the vineyard. The Garonne gravels play an essential role. They provide natural drainage, reflect light onto the bunches and store heat during the day before releasing it at night. The 75 hectares are planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot Noir. The average age of the vines is 35 years and the density reaches 10,000 vines per hectare. Vineyard management combines Médoc-style double Guyot pruning, manual leaf removal, green harvesting, plot-by-plot management, yield control and reasoned crop protection. The harvest is entirely manual and a first sorting takes place directly in the vineyard. Each plot is then vinified separately, taking into account its terroir, the grape variety and the characteristics of the vintage. Extraction remains gentle, with traditional temperatures and measured pumping over. Malolactic fermentation takes place in vats before the different lots are run into barrel. The blend is made at the first racking. Depending on the richness of the vintage, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is aged with 50 to 80% new oak. The 225-litre Bordeaux barrels, made of French oak, come from five selected coopers. Ageing lasts 18 months, in keeping with the Médoc tradition of the grands crus classés. Finesse and elegance are at the heart of Ducru-Beaucaillou’s identity. This combination of terroir, plot selection and ageing gives the wine its own character and places Château Ducru-Beaucaillou among the great expressions of Saint-Julien.
| Weight | 1 kg |
|---|---|
| Scores | James Suckling 97 |
| Colour | Red |
| Producer | Château Ducru-Beaucaillou |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Appellation | Saint-Julien |
| Classification | 2ème Cru Classé |
| Size | 75 cl |
| Case format | Bottle (75 cl) |
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