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Ducru Beaucaillou 2009

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
Also available in the following mixed case:

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Label

Tasting Notes

100
Robert Parker, Hedonists Gazette, August 2014

The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a fantastic wine. Here it bursts from the glass, perhaps less Pauillac-like than previous bottles, beautifully defined with a smorgasbord of red and black fruit laced with cedar and tobacco. There is no hedonism here, just wonderful intensity and focus. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity, very poise yet powerful with a multi-layered finish that just lacquers the mouth. It probably needs another 5-6 years in bottle, but what a wine. Stunning. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. 2025-2065

97
Neal Martin, vinous.com, July 2022

Mid-deep ruby in the glass. A layered, rich and sweet nose of wood spice, cassis, forest fruit and roasted coffee here - this is seductive and ripe. The same profile follows on the palate, which is framed by succulent, soft tannins. This is a fleshy, spherical Ducru with notes of charcoal, and toasted spices. There is no need to wait here, this vintage is open for business. Long and smooth on the finish, which is accented by more liquorice, coffee and wood spice.

96
Thomas Parker MW, Farr Vintners, March 2023

The purity of fruit is wonderful in this, with plums, currants and hints of fresh mushrooms. Hints of cloves too. Full-bodied, with chewy, creamy tannins and a bright fresh finish. Super energy and intensity. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Better in 2018.

96
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2012

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou bursts from the glass with bombastic crème de cassis, black cherry compote and preserved plums notes followed by hints of menthol, hoisin, dusty soil and incense plus fragrant wafts of candied violets and baker’s chocolate. Full bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, the palate offers a beautifully plush texture and bags of freshness, finishing long and layered. An absolute powerhouse! 2020 - 2050

98
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (Aug 2020 W), August 2020

45 hl/ha, 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. IPT (total polyphenol index) was 90 (ie high).Very dark crimson. Crimson, purple rim. Dense and peppery and quite mineral. Much more serious on the nose than the Croix de Beaucaillou. Very polished. Lots of energy. Bone dry, spicy finish. Pretty drying tannins. Not really as soft as Bruno Borie maintains, I think. Cool and slightly tarry. Very very youthful. Date tasted 31st March 2010. Drink 2019-2030.

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2010

Ducru is on top form these days. Bruno Borie has made some very serious wines at Ducru in recent vintages with many vats previously destined for the grand vin now being used for the second label. From 2003 onwards production of the first wine has been reduced from 15,000-20,000 cs to 9,000-11,000 cs. There is now more second wine - La Croix de Beaucaillou than there is Grand Vin. Bruno's policy is now to only select fruit from the heart of the Ducru vineyard, overlooking the estuary for the Grand Vin. Ducru is clearly back where it belongs at the top of the super-second league. Classically structured, Ducru 2009 is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Merlot. 90% new oak. 45 hl/ha. This is turbo-charged and super-concentrated. Classic black cassis with a firm structure. Lots of black fruit on the palate with good balancing tannins. A blockbuster but not forced. Complex, balanced and long. Classy, serious and built for the long term.

96
Farr Vintners, November 2009

The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is pure perfection and a much more sexy, opulent wine compared to the 2010. Crème de cassis, licorice, spice-box, lead pencil shavings and dried flower notes all – literally – soar from the glass of this incredible wine. Full-bodied, layered, expansive and deep, with sweet, sweet tannin and no hard edges, it’s already impossible to resist, yet is going to keep for four to five decades. I think the 2010 will be a longer-lived wine, but I’m not sure it will ever deliver the opulence or hedonistic pleasure of the 2009. Either way, that’s a fun comparison I look forward to having over the coming decades! 2020 - 2060

100
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, November 2017

The nose is deep and complex packed full of cassis and sloes. The richness of the black fruits gives lots of flesh to the mid palate, the suppleness of the palate helped by rounded and ripe tannins. It has power, depth, chocolate richness all beautifully balanced by freshness giving an attractive sleekness on the finish. Drink 2020-2050.

92/95
Derek Smedley MW, April 2010

The ludicrous, nightclub-style interior at Ducru led me to expect a wine that was trashy, flashy and meretricious, but I was mistaken. This is certainly oaky, but it has the structure, fruit quality and sumptuous tannins to cope with the barrels. Textured blackberry fruit, with very pure, piercing flavours. A wine of considerable breed. 20+ years.

96
Tim Atkin MW, April 2010

Black red, very smoky, really concentrated nose, lots of extraction, massively structured, certainly a most impressive wine, one of the blockbusters of the vintage. Drink 2017-30.

18.5
Steven Spurrier, Decanter.com, April 2010

This is a rich, powerful, concentrated and well-structured wine, but in comparison to recent vintages (from 2014) this comes off slightly heavy on the mid-palate. However, I love the balance at the ripe and generous finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)

95
Stuart Pigott, JamesSuckling.com, March 2019
Read more tasting notes...

The 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou will eclipse the brilliant wines produced in 2005, 2003, and 2000. It will be interesting to see how the 2009 fares against the 2010 after twenty years of aging, but my money is on the 2009. A blend of 85% cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, this inky purple, unctuous wine possesses classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, blueberries, violets, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. full-bodied and intense with Ducru's inimitable elegance and purity, it should firm up in the bottle after 7-10 years of cellaring and last for 40-50 years. Magnificent!

100
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, March 2012

Can the 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou be better than the brilliant 2000 and extraordinary 2003 and 2005? Purchasers will have to decide for themselves, but this compelling effort is one of the all-time great Ducru Beaucaillous. It is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, and, remarkably, despite the fact that 90% new oak was utilized, not a hint of wood can be found in either the aromatics or flavors. This inky/purple-hued, unctuously textured 2009 reveals layers and layers of blue, red, and black fruits, and hints of licorice and spice box. Despite its substantial, massive size, it retains an elegant style, but will need 3-5 years of cellaring. It should last for 40+ years. (Tasted once.) Drink 2013-2053.

96/98+
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188), April 2010

The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a tightly wound and almost Pauillac-like bouquet, veins of graphite strafing the black fruit, tightly wound but it is tremendously focused and vibrant. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin that disguise the density and grip of this Saint-Julien. Powerful to the point of being stentorian, yet utterly compelling, it will need another three or four years in bottle. Extremely impressive - a Ducru-Beaucaillou showing what it can do. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. 2025 - 2055

97
Neal Martin, vinous.com, March 2019

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Ducru Beaucaillou ‘09 has a classy, sophisticated bouquet with blackberry, dark plum, and a hint of cassis and oyster shell. It displays fine delineation and composure. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe entry. There is very good weight and structure here, a sense of symmetry and grace that is very appealing. This is one of Bruno Borie’s finest wines ...although I think the 2010 might turn out even better.

95
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, July 2013

This has an impressive powerful and hearty structure, with seductive floral, currant and licorice aromas and flavors, showing powerful tannins at the end. This sneaks up on you at the end. Structured and very, very powerful. The blockbuster tannins are sweet and fruit-coated. This is a classic, powerful style of Ducru. May be best yet. Wow.

96/99
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, March 2010

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou bursts from the glass with an amazing array of black fruit preserves and savory layers—crème de cassis, blackberry tart, baked plums and mincemeat pie with suggestions of black olives, sautéed herbs and beef drippings plus wafts of sweaty leather and sandalwood. Full-bodied with a firm frame of grainy tannins and tons of freshness, the muscular fruit completely coats the palate with juicy berry preserves, while the finish is long and savory. 2020 - 2050

98
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2019), March 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.