Alex Lallos, JJ Buckley, April 2012

85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% merlot. Located over 75 hectares, between Beychevelle to the north and Latour to the south. Vines are planted in gravel and "cailloux", the large pebbles that gave the estate its name. Aged in 95% new oak for up to 18 months. 2011 saw Ducru Beaucaillou's lowest yields in 25 years, due much in part to extensive green harvesting. Nearly opaque at the core with a beautiful bright ruby/violet rim. Aromas of black cherry, baking chocolate, and boysenberry emerge from the glass. Shows excellent concentration and balance throughout. The palate is filled with lush black fruit, coffee, and more chocolate. Defined by richness and silkiness, the tannins fall right into place. Beautiful effort with a sublime finish. One of the top wines of the Left bank. Enjoy 2017-2030.

94 -95 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2012

Fabulous aromas of blackberries, plums, meat and rose petals. Full body, with special richness for the vintage with a sweetness not seen in many wines. Velvety tannins that are polished and beautiful. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. Little more Merlot than normal.

92 -94 points,

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, April 2012

The Grand Vin is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that is being aged in 95% new oak. It has a broody, introspective bouquet compared to the 2009 and 2010 as one would expect, although it is well defined with fine minerality, a seam of dried herbs, a touch of rosemary and thyme underneath a patina of black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh, citric entry. There is a slight hardness to the tannins although that will soften in time, although it is still struck through with a tensile streak. The finish has a firm tannic backbone, hints of soy and a saline touch towards the finish. This is an intriguing Ducru that should repay extended cellaring. Tasted April 2012.

93 -95 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

One of the vintage's stars, the 2011 Ducru Beaucaillou is a riveting blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. It boasts an inky/blue/purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of creme de cassis, licorice, subtle wood smoke and spring flowers, a surprising, full-bodied mouthfeel, and stunning intensity, purity, symmetry and length. Production at this estate used to be 12,000-15,000 cases, but after instituting a strict selection in addition to the smallest yields ever at this vineyard, it is down to 9,000 cases. The 2011 has considerable tannin, but it is soft and well-integrated. It should drink well for 20+ years. Readers should also be aware of just how sensational the second wine can be.

If you haven't noticed yet, it's time to jump on Bruno Borie's bandwagon for the two wines being produced from separate parts of the Ducru Beaucaillou vineyard.

94 -96 points,

Wine Enthusiast, May 2012

This wine is big, dense and impressive with plenty of concentration as well as acidity. It is balanced, bringing the big, ripe black-fruit flavor and firm tannins together with great style. - R.V.

About Winery

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou is named after the beautiful, large stones found in its unique wine-growing terroir. This exceptional ecosystem produces fine, elegant, tasty wines, with a long finish - in short, archetypal Saint-Julien wines.
 
Perched on an exceptional site with incomparable views over the Gironde estuary, in the centre of a hundred-year-old park, Ducru-Beaucaillou is a majestic, Victorian-style castle, which has, over time, become one of the great symbols of the Médoc. Unusually for Bordeaux, it is built directly above the barrel cellars, enveloping its owners, who have lived here for over sixty years, in the sumptuous aromas of their wine.

Today, the estate is managed by the company Jean Eugène Borie SA, which is owned by Mrs Borie, her daughter Sabine Coiffe and her son Bruno-Eugène, CEO since 2003, the third generation of the Borie family to head the estate.
 
There are very close links between this estate and the five families who have been its successive owners.

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