La Croix Ducru Beaucaillou, St Julien, 2025
Croix de Beaucaillou is a big step up from the Petit Ducru. Produced from 87% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Petit Verdot certainly gives this some lift and adds florality. Fragrant griotte cherries and raspberries, roses and bluebells and a nice mineral element. The toasty oak notes give a bit of gloss. The palate is structured with dark berry fruit at the fore - concentrated and taut, mulberries and gravel, slick and rippling, but quite firm with grippy tannins well-integrated into the fruit. Quite impressive, but don't expect this to be early-drinking, there's a lot of extract and tannin here.
critic reviews
The gourmet edge is evident from the first moments, keeping the signature of this wine, expertly done, cocoa bean, liquorice, glass-staining brightness, fresh acidities, takes a beat for the full La Croix signature to come in but it is luscious and juicy, and will reward five to seven years ageing. 3.67 pH. Harvest September 2 to 23, 60% new oak. Last year in the former cellar, with the new winery receiving fruit for the first time in 2026 vintage.
The 2025 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of the most subdued wines in this range from Bruno Borie. Plum, blackberry, gravel, spice and lavender gradually open in the glass. Petit Verdot is elevated in the 2025, and that drives the blend, which may explain some of the reticence here.