critic reviews
The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou, tasted at the chateau, is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. Deep garnet-brick in color, scents of black cherries, redcurrant jelly, and pencil lead jump from the glass, leading to hints of Ceylon tea and clove oil. The medium-bodied palate has a velvety texture framing the delicate black and red fruit layers, with a lively backbone and a long, spicy finish.
The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I have not tasted for a number of years. Matured in two-thirds new oak, it has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, estuarine scents, touches of liquorice emerging with time. It is higher-toned than the 1995 with iodine evolving with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fresh acidity, quite sweet in the mouth and maybe like the 1995, just missing that complexity and terroir expression that I think has defined recent vintages from this estate. Maybe it is slightly compromised by some Merlot (25%) that was picked a but later, but still, there is a lot of pleasure to be found in this 1996. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château.