2023 Ducru Beaucaillou
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Tasting notes
Always such a consistent performer, the 2023 vintage from Ducru-Beaucaillou is impressive. The nose offers wonderfully lifted aromatics of violet, pencil shavings and cedar. The mid-palate is broad and rich – with perfectly ripe black fruit and a velvet texture followed by incredibly refined, polished tannins that melt away on the finish. Meticulous attention to detail has resulted in a pure and vibrant wine that will give pleasure over the next three decades. It has 13% alcohol and 3.7pH. Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Neal Martin, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Coming from the gravelly soils of Saint-Julien, the 2023 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot, brought up all in new barrels. This deep purple-hued beauty offers pure cassis and subtle red and blue fruits intermixed with graphite, violets, and freshly sharpened pencil nuances. Medium to full-bodied, it has a layered, beautifully balanced mouthfeel that carries ripe, polished tannins, ample mid-palate depth, integrated acidity, and a gorgeous finish. It brings a terrific sense of richness, depth, and opulence while still staying in the classic style of the vintage. Drink 2028-2058.
The 2023 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a jewel of wine. Soaring aromatics are immediately captivating. A rush of red/purplish fruit, mocha, new leather and well-judged oak build as the 2023 shows off its vertical structure and total class. There's plenty of Ducru opulence, but everything is in the right place. I must admit, I like the lower-alcohol vintages at Ducru quite a bit, as there is less oak extraction, which in turn yields wines of exquisite finesse and class. A highlight.
Just love how this feels old school in the most contemporary way - meaning this has so much tannic power and architecture, alongside oyster shell salinity, a lot of palate presence and concentration, just a well defined, fabulous wine that you will be thrilled to sink into after a few more years in bottle. 41hl/h yield, 100% new oak, Bruno Borie owner, harvest September 8 to October 3.
About the producer
Second Growth estate Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou in Saint-Julien is one of the Super Seconds, an elite group of properties producing wines that regularly compete with the finest in the Médoc.