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Ducru Beaucaillou 2017

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

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.

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

Label

Tasting Notes

Attractive, intense aromas of ripe blueberries, currants and more savory, tarry notes, as well as iodine, violets and cassis. The palate has a supple and succulent feel. This is cabernet in outright seductive mode, offering such fluid tannins and mouth-filling length. A blend of 90% cabernet sauvignon and 10% merlot. One of the stars of the vintage. Drink or hold.

98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, January 2020

The 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Deep garnet colored, it rolls effortlessly out of the glass with open-knit scents of wild blueberries, kirsch, and blackcurrant pastilles, plus suggestions of wood smoke, pencil lead, lilacs, and clove oil. The medium-bodied palate is so elegant and delicately intertwined with a whole myriad of red and black fruit layers and super-ripe, fine-grained tannins, plus amazing tension, finishing very long and arrestingly fragrant. This is stunning.

97
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2022

Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Quite mineral and cool on the nose – there is a leafy edge of pencil shavings against fresh blackcurrant. Vibrant, lively fruit on the palate – a mix of red and black fruit together. The structure is sinewy, promoting more of the leafy, graphite tones. This is chiselled and firm for now, it will require patience.
Drink 2027 – 2038

16.5
Thomas Parker MW, JancisRobinson.com, October 2021

A little less intense and concentrated than the 2016, this focusses more on rich, smoky, finessed aromatics. The overall feel is gourmet and well textured, with some welcoming rich spice. A serious contender for the top St Julien in 2017, this has wonderfully fleshy blackberry fruits, a screech of graphite adding some mineral overtones, and a great dash of grilled oak. 7,500 cases of Ducru this year instead of 10,000 - they weren't affected by frost, but the Cabernets were just less generous this year, down to around 30hl/ha. This is accomplished winemaking, with great energy and poise. 100% new oak. 3.79pH.
Drinking Window 2027 - 2040

96
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2018

Very dark with black core. Super-refined dark fruit on the nose, ripe but not overly. Just a touch – and nicely – smoky. Chewy, deep tannin texture shot through with lovely juicy fruit, red and black. Lots of energy and the oak well in the background. Firm and chewy tannins and needs time but has a long fresh finish – lovely fresh fruit to the end that is entwined with the tannins to keep them moving across your palate.
Drink 2027-2040

17.5
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2018

One of the wines of the vintage in the Medoc, the 2017 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou comes from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot from tiny yields of 35 hectoliters per hectare. Brought up in new barrels, it offers stunning notes of pure creme de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, lead pencil, and crushed rocks. Showing a touch of spring flowers with air, full-bodied richness and depth, awesome tannin quality, and a laser-like level of precision and purity, it’s going to need a decade of cellaring yet will have 40-50 years of prime drinking. Hats off to proprietor Bruno Borie for another magical wine.

98
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, February 2020

Brooding richness depth of fruit the black fruits are sweet and ripe. Fine tannins support the mid palate has suppleness and richness yet an underlying freshness that gives balance and harmony. Drink 2026 - 2040.

92/95
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, May 2018

Being forced to harvest in only five days at the end of September on account of rain on the horizon, this hand was played by the elements and it benefitted Ducru immeasurably. This is an extremely energetic wine with fabulous flavours and the nose alone is terrific. The edge of slight ‘under-ripeness’ is thrilling. There are herb and spice notes here that I have never encountered in Ducru before. The finish has seriously impressive length and also spice and I venture that this will be a remarkable wine in years to come. This is an identity wine for Ducru and this property. Only 7500 cases were made, so this will come to be a very sought after wine. I have given this wine a huge score in this vintage because I am completely mesmerised by its magical charms.

19+
Matthew Jukes, Matthew Jukes' Blog, April 2018
Read more tasting notes...

Deep purple-black in color, the 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou slowly unfurls to reveal beautifully fragrant notes of warm kirsch, wild blueberries, fresh red and black currants and violets with wafts of underbrush and Earl Grey tea. Medium-bodied, the palate has great freshness and elegance, with very well-played, plush tannins and bags of perfumed fruit, finishing on a lingering spicy note. The wine was aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels. The blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. 2022-2048.

96+
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020), March 2020

Holy.... This is so powerful and dense with amazing depth of fruit and beautifully ripe tannins tannins. Full body, layers of fruit and tannins. It’s has a long finish but then kicks off at the end. Remains classic in style.

97/98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2018

There was no frost at Ducru-Beaucaillou in 2017 due to its proximity to the estuary. This barrel sample comes from the final blend, which was made in early 2018. Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot and sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou is intensely scented of blackcurrant cordial, blackberries and lavender with hints of crushed rocks, iron ore, rose hips and Provence herbs plus touches of wood smoke and sandalwood. Medium-bodied, very firm and grainy in the mouth, it possesses lovely freshness, lifting the intense flavors, finishing long and minerally. Sporting an incredible core of muscular mid-palate fruit, this wine should age incredibly.

95/97+
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (236), April 2018
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.