Château Ducru-Beaucaillou vertical tasting: 1953-2018

Closed on the nose with a deep, inky core, this 2018 remains very primary and youthful. Quite shy and needing coaxing in the glass, the...

The 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou is the first wine of the fantastic vertical tasting held by Bruno Borie. It has both a deep and elegant bouquet of...

The youngest of a very strong trio (alongside 2010 and 2005) the 2016 is a wonderful example of 'new-wave' Bordeaux with all the intensity, purity...

The 2015 Ducru-Beaucaillou is very reminiscent of the style of the vintage with dark berry aromas, smoky notes, spices, liquorice, and graphite. Very elegant oaky...

Intensely fragrant nose, really quite perfumed and floral and expressive. Supple and alive, though quite highly charged too – fruit is ripe but the tannins...

Faced with a very complicated vintage, Bruno Borie managed to produce a rather delicate and fruity wine with cherry, rose petal, black berries, plums, and...

With elegant, charming, and fresh notes of blackcurrant, liquorice, black fruits and hints of lavender and green bell pepper, this 2012 Ducru-Beaucaillou is remarkably fresh...

The 2011 Ducru-Beaucaillou is simply gorgeous with both profound and complex aromas of toast, smoke, dark berries, blackcurrant, spices with a perfectly integrated oaky frame....

Violet/rose petal notes on the nose, together with the first appearance of some tertiary notes (cedar wood and a hint of mushroom). But still very...

Remarkably fresh and delicate nose yet classic and aromatic and full of spicy and graphite notes with liquorice, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, and cherry. Very fresh...

The 2008 Ducru-Beaucaillou smells quite Cabernet-Sauvignon with an appealing bouquet of spices, blackcurrant, black berries, and green bell pepper touches. It has a tense and...

From the very first whiff, surprisingly compelling scents of black fruit but also cherry pits, complicated by notes of truffles and spices to reveal a...

Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (75% of the blend), the 2006 Ducru nevertheless manages a supple, voluptuous texture. The aromas are somewhat restrained and are...

One of the wines of the tasting, 2005 feels like an older style with hints of cigar-box, a touch of lead-pencil and leather suggesting this...

The 2004 Ducru-Beaucaillou stands out with some animal notes with spices, blackcurrant, blueberry, leather, and tobacco aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with building tannins, without...

The 2003 has a very different oak management in style with toasted notes intertwined with a delicate array of dark berries, spices, graphite, and liquorice....

Now at 20 years of age, the 2001 Ducru-Beaucaillou reveals liquorice, menthol, leather, tobacco and black berry aromas with a smoky hint. The attack is...

Moccha, pine and mushroom notes emphasise the development almost 25 years since the vintage. There is still masses of sweet, dark currant fruit on the...

The 1999 Ducru-Beaucaillou offers aromas of raspberry, plum, black cherry, and mocha intertwined with grilled aromas. This juicy wine possesses a sappy texture, firm tannins...

The 1998 vintage is still vibrant and fresh with plum, black berries, mint aromas with leather and rose petal notes with air. Juicy and very...

With alcoholic and animal aromas, the bouquet of the 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou appears to have contained phenols. However, the palate is juicy and fleshy, but the...

Significantly more development apparent, with notes of leather and cigar combining with drying, leafy tannins and less succulent fruit. Good sweetness on the palate, with...

The 2012 Ducru-Beaucaillou smells of Cabernet-Sauvignon with liquorice, plum, blackcurrant as well as animal and earthy notes. The palate is medium-bodied with harsh tannins and...

The 1989 Ducru-Beaucaillou is more charming than the 1990 unwinding in the glass with notes of tobacco, cigar, plum, blackcurrant and leather. Light to medium-bodied,...

I have been able to taste this vintage on several occasions, and each time I have had the impression that something is amiss, either due...

The 1986 Ducru-Beaucaillou is another wine produced during the troubled period for the estate, and the wine seems to be tainted by TCA. However, it...

The 1985 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a light and earthy bouquet with notes of green pepper, graphite, liquorice and hints of leather and tobacco. Medium-bodied, the palate...

<p>A gorgeous nose, really quite perfumed and fragrant with jasmine and strawberry aromas. Full and thrilling on the palate, I love the style and sense...

With plum aromas and sour cherries hints, the 1979 Ducru-Beaucaillou shows undergrowth, and wet cellar aromas. The palate is light to medium-bodied with rustic tannins...

Compared to the 1979, the 1978 Ducru-Beaucaillou stands out for its freshness and its vibrant, fruity bouquet that possesses menthol, dark berries, graphite, and liquorice...

A bit shy at first, the 1975 Ducru-Beaucaillou is more vibrant and fresher with air. Fresh with a menthol hit, the bouquet shows red-dark berries,...

The 1971 Ducru-Beaucaillou, served in magnum, is a friendly emissary of this difficult vintage. Exhibiting aromas of cedar, leather, underneath and spices, it is also...

The Ducru-Beaucaillou 1970 has a classic, elegant, and complex bouquet with notes of black fruits, tobacco, undergrowth, damp cellar, and earth with a hint of...

The 1966 vintage from Ducru-Beaucaillou shows a delicate, yet perfumed bouquet of menthol, liquorice, ash, red berries, spices, leather, and some herbal notes. The palate...

The 1962 Ducru-Beaucaillou surprisingly exhibited fresh aromas of menthol, dark berries, and tobacco with a hint of mint. Linear and well-defined, the palate is medium...

This bottle of 1961 Ducru-Beaucaillou is exceptional with a delicate and refined bouquet of bacon, ash, red berries, tobacco, cedar, and graphite with air. Long...

I never tasted 1959 Ducru-Beaucaillou, so it was an immense pleasure and honour according to its reputation. Exhibiting a complex bouquet of ripe dark berries,...

Compared to the 1959 and 1961, the 1953 Ducru-Beaucaillou is less sunny and exhibits aromas of sour cherry, caramel, leather, underneath, and fresh dark berries....