1978 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 1978 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage I last tasted in 2009, my own bottle that surpassed expectations. Here again, it proves to be the highlight of this period with vestiges of red berry fruit, peppermint and cigar humidor (very similar to my previous tasting note.) The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, fresh and vital, gentle grip towards the finish with moderate aftertaste. It is the freshness that carries this 1978, well worth seeking out if you find a bottle. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château.
Critic scores
Neal Martin
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
One of the wines of the vintage, the 1978 Ducru-Beaucaillou continues to drink beautifully, offering up aromas of sweet red berry fruit, cigar box, licorice and loamy soil, followed by a medium-bodied, velvety and melting palate that's deep and seamless, marrying intensity of flavor with weightlessness. From a cold cellar with good provenance, it is well worth seeking out.
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.