CHÂTEAU DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU
2012 2ème Cru Classé Saint Julien
| Colour | Red |
| Origin | France, Bordeaux |
| Sub-district | Haut Médoc |
| Village | Saint Julien |
| Classification | 2ème Cru Classé |
| ABV | 14% |
91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot. This is the highest-ever proporton of CS. Bruno Borie eulogised about the similarities between the 2012 and classic older styles of Ducru. Elegant and fine - he compared it to the '59 which is a delight and has almost exactly the same levels of tannin. Very fine, dense and leanly concentrated with Cabernet. There is lovely gloss and beautiful texture to the fruit. All is in perfect balance, the poise is so impressive. Pure and persistent. Rating: 93 L&S (Apr 2013)
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A touch of tertiary evolution, the fruit and cedar are dense and integrated but what really stands out is the grilled leather, cigar box and liquorice. A mint and ecuyptus-infused body, with well-paced velvety tannins, chewy and muscular. The finish majors on sweet spices and a medium plus length. 60% new oak, Bruno Borie owner, harvest October 3-10 Drinking range: 2022 - 2040 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (Nov 2022)
The 2012 Ducru-Beaucaillou, which was matured in 95% new oak rather than 100%, was always a bit stubborn on the nose. Here, I feel it has opened marginally. Black olives and blood orange scents infuse the black fruit, just a hint of lavender develop with aeration. Very perfumed after 5-10 minutes. The palate is medium-bodied with smooth saturated tannins, fine acidity, quite intense and pastille-like. The finish feels monochromatic compared to the superior 2014, maybe the wood is just singing from a different hymn sheet. Quite exuberant, maybe even flashy, it does not quite deliver the complexity of a Ducru firing on all cylinders. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2022)
A big wine for the year, the 2012 Ducru-Beaucaillou possesses striking depth and intensity from start to finish. Sweet tobacco, cedar, smoke and savory herb overtones add intrigue to this deep, fleshy Saint-Julien. I imagine the 2012 will age for several decades based on its fruit density. Whether the tannins ever become noble is another question. Still, it is impossible not to admire the wine's pure depth. Drinking range: 2020 - 2037 Rating: 94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jan 2016)
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
2009 CHÂTEAU LAGRANGE 3ème Cru Classé Saint Julien
Bordeaux France 13.5% Red
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Tasted at the château during the 2015 primeur campaign, 2009 Lagrange is opening slowly and moving on from fruit aromas to tobacco and spice. Very attractive, a hedonistic wine that can be enjoyed from now, but whi...(read more)
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