La Croix de Beaucaillou 2015

The 2015 La Croix de Beaucaillou has a very composed bouquet that captures the fruité of the vintage, almost lush, pure black cherries intermingling with cranberry and blueberry. There is a patina of new oak to be subsumed so it will certainly deserve three or four years in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin on the entry, cloaked by layers of slightly toasty black fruit laced with cedar, white pepper and a touch of Lapsang Souchong. This is very harmonious with great depth while maintaining superb precision on the finish. What a superb deuxième vin. Anticipated maturity: 2021 - 2040.

Dark berries, iron and hints of rust with some iodine. Full-bodied, round and juicy with a solid backbone of tannins and focus. This second wine of Ducru-Beaucaillou. Polished. Drink in 2021.

Savoury nose - really racy. Very fresh and sinewy. Racy and polished. Dry finish. But pretty sweet fruit in the middle. This 'second wine' showed extremely well even next to the grand vin, but presumably will not last as long. 13.53%
Drink 2022-2034

Bruno Borie's relentless pursuit of excellence at Ducru Beaucaillou has resulted in the production levels of the Grand Vin falling by around 50%. The chief beneficiary of the draconian selection process here is this - the second label - which contains fruit that was once always used for Ducru itself. The vines are situated near to Leoville Barton. Another wine - Lalande Borie is made from the vineyards further inland from the estuary near Talbot and Lagrange. Really a single vineyard separate wine and it now featuring a striking new label designed by Jade Jagger. The 2015 is being matured in two thirds new oak and was made from 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Bright ruby colour. A very attractive, perfumed nose of plums, blueberry and nutmeg. The palate is ripe, smooth and supple with layers of plums and cherries giving a superb juicy fruit quality to the flavour profile. There are sweet and refined cocoa tannins providing a focused and approachable structure, yet the intensity of fruit ensures a surprisingly long, enduring finish. A very good 'second' wine.

The 2015 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou comes from a dedicated site in the southern part of the estate and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc brought up in two-thirds new oak. It’s a polished, elegant, medium-bodied beauty revealing classic Ducru-Beaucaillou notes of cassis, tobacco and lead pencil. It has real class and poise, and while already approachable, I suspect will have two decades of longevity. 2018 - 2038

The nose has mix of fresh fragrant black fruits and the start of the palate is bright and light. There is more depth in the middle rich ripe fruit supple and fleshy the underlying tannins are fine giving support and although less concentrated at the back it finishes with sweetness.

The second wine of Ducru comes from the central part of St. Julien, representing a
30-hectare parcel next to Léoville-Barton. This has lovely cassis purity, some chalky
freshness, a dash of pepper spice from the Petit Verdot and serious, age worthy tannins.
Drink: 2020-28

A very good Croix with more density and a creamier texture than of late, the ripeness and flesh is apparent in this wine
and this has propped up the middle palate. Lovely, silky and rather exotic, this is also a surprisingly long wine with no
trace of the level of new oak.