Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, 2eme Cru Classé, St Julien, 2016
Bruno Borie refers to 2016 as a 'biblical vintage'. He explained that they had the 'flood', the 'plagues of Egypt', a time in the 'wilderness' and then the 'road to Jerusalem'. Rather surprisingly he didn't mention 'sacrifice' a term that propriétaires like to use when talking about yields... Produced from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, the 2016 Ducru is inky black with toasty notes, super-ripe black cherry liqueur and liquorice, this is sexy but also introverted and dark. The palate is impressively concentrated with fine sweetly spiced tannins and layer upon layer of complex, sleek fruit. A very fine and serious Ducru clearly built for the long haul.
critic reviews
The 2016 Ducru-Beaucaillou has quite a primal bouquet compared to its peers, quite luscious blackberry and blueberry scents, but it is far from exotic. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, fine acidity, harmonious and poised, with a bright, very elegant finish. Wonderful. Expect that score to trickle upwards as it matures in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.
Storming stuff, vast depths, graphite, pumice stone, salted caramel, fennel, mint leaf, orange peel, crayon, incense and cassis so much texture and appellation typicity along with th gourmet kiss of Ducru. 100% new oak for ageing. Emmanuel Bonneau technical director working alongside owner Bruno Borie.