2021 Ducru Beaucaillou

Tasted blind. Shaded crimson. A little muddy on the nose. Shrill and sharp and a bit austere. Greenness on the finish. (JR)

The 2021 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of the top wines of the vintage. It’s based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, harvested from September 21 to October 10, that was vinified in wooden tronconique tanks and brought up all in new barrels. It has a deep ruby/plum hue to go with classic Ducru notes of pure crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and violets, with a kiss of background tobacco and spicy oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep, rich, and concentrated, it has a beautiful mid-palate, ripe, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Checking in as 12.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.88, hats off to the genius of Bruno Borie and his team for producing a truly Grand Vin in this challenging vintage.

The 2021 Ducru-Beaucaillou, bottled July 2023, has a classically styled bouquet: blackberry, iodine and, again, a conspicuous marine influence of kelp and sea spray. The nose has very fine delineation—cool, calm and collected. The palate is medium-bodied with fine depth, although there remains some new oak to be subsumed at the moment, and that partially shades the terroir toward the finish. But it is finely balanced and poised. A dash of black pepper on the aftertaste lingers in the mouth. This is a delightful, well-crafted Ducru-Beaucaillou that may merit a higher score down the line.