Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint-Julien 2018 - 2nd Grand Cru Classé
100/100
Decanter
99/100
James Suckling
99/100
Yves Beck
99/100
Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing
99/100
The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve
98/100
Robert Parker
"A monumental wine!"
"One of the greatest wines this estate has produced in Bruno Borie's era. Ducru-Beaucaillou 2018 seduces you with its fabulous and unique bouquet of spices, iris, violet, black cherry, and blackcurrant. The oak is perfectly integrated and intertwines with notes of graphite over time. The palate is concentrated and bursting with energy, but what really stands out is its disconcerting freshness and the finesse and precise contours of the tannic structure. An already deep wine that will reach new heights over the next two decades. (Decanter 2021) - Delivery in wooden cases is available for orders of 6 bottles of this wine (depending on the country and shipping method selected).
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Eye
Deep, intense color with a very seductive dark purple brilliance.
Nose
A dazzling, concentrated bouquet that opens up with aeration to reveal beautiful fruit with floral nuances and a hint of violet. Later, when swirled, a hint of graphite emerges.
Mouth
A juicy, flavorful wine with a lovely freshness. A captivating wine with great body, excellent structure, remarkable persistence, and a very classic composition.
Serve
Decant at 17-18°C
Open
2 hours before
Drink from
2027
Drink before
2050
Food and wine pairings
To be enjoyed with refined dishes such as matured red meats, game, etc.
Bettane & Desseauve
Rated estate (2020 guide) 5 stars (Exceptional producers, representing the absolute pinnacle of quality in France and worldwide)
About the estate:
Since 2003, Bruno Borie, with the invaluable help of Éric Boissenot as oenological advisor, has enabled this renowned wine to return to its highest level, very close to and sometimes superior to certain premier crus. The second wine, La Croix-de-Beaucaillou, which includes the remarkable vines of the former Terrey Gros Cailloux, has been among the best in its category since 2005. A third Saint-Julien, Lalande-Borie, an old and respected brand in the wine trade, is a supple, elegant and early-maturing wine from vines that belonged to Château Lagrange in 1855.
Decanter
Wine rated (2021 guide) 100/100
About wine:
One of the greatest wines produced by this estate during Bruno Borie's tenure. Ducru-Beaucaillou 2018 captivates you with its fabulous and unique bouquet of spices, iris, violet, black cherry, and blackcurrant. The oak is perfectly integrated and intertwines with notes of graphite over time. The palate is concentrated and bursting with energy, but what really stands out is its disconcerting freshness and the finesse and precise contours of the tannic structure. An already deep wine that will reach new heights over the next two decades. 2022-2050
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rating (2021 guide) 98/100 (Exceptional)
Rated Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About wine:
Deep purple-black in color, it has a powerful nose of cooked black cherries, blackberry jam, and crème de cassis, with hints of menthol, pencil lead, cedar chest, and Indian spices, as well as scents of violet and licorice that emerge after a few minutes. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, the palate bursts with striking layers of black fruit and exotic spices, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing with a lingering note of fragrant earth. There is a brilliance to this wine—a surprising freshness—and yet it remains very rich and hedonistic, presenting an extraordinary winemaking paradox that will wow fans of this great estate.
About the estate:
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Rated estate (2020 guide) 3 stars (These represent the excellence of French vineyards. The best terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wine is always a magical moment.)
About the estate:
Lovers of classic Médoc wines will find what they are looking for with Ducru-Beaucaillou. Bruno Borie manages this superb vineyard with talent and determination; in recent years, he has placed it among the top Bordeaux wines. Never ostentatious, over-extracted or overly powerful, these wines shine with their distinction and silky texture. They are deep, digestible and balanced Médoc wines. Be careful, however, as a Ducru-Beaucaillou only reveals its full potential with age, so it is always a shame to taste it too early; its great freshness on the finish and the elegant texture of its tannins are testament to the exceptional capacity of its terroir. Croix de Beaucaillou, the château's former second wine, is now a wine in its own right, with its own dedicated vineyard.
James Suckling
Wine rated (2021 guide) 99/100
Rated Recommended
About wine:
Aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, new leather, and bark continue into a full-bodied, dense, and deep palate that lingers but remains shy and reserved. A large quantity of ultra-fine tannins, similar to cashmere, silky, elegant, and wonderfully integrated. Extremely long and concentrated. Needs at least 4 to 5 years to begin to open up. A beautiful wine for the cellar. Try after 2027.
Yves Beck
Wine rated (2021 guide) 99/100
About wine:
Dense garnet red with violet highlights. Intense, complex bouquet with notes of graphite and cedar. You can sense the grandeur of the terroirs and the finesse of the aging process... which takes place in 100% new oak. A beautiful symbiosis between maturity and freshness with nuances of very ripe Cabernet and notes of licorice, black berries, and cinnamon. On the palate, the wine is elegant, dense, creamy, and silky. Such elegance from the very first sip. This is followed by the tannic structure, which slowly reveals itself across the palate. The tannins are fine, powerful, persistent, and in harmony with the acidity. A balanced, powerful, persistent wine. 2026-2048
The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve
Wine rated (2021 guide) 99/100
About wine:
With its intense color, the wine is completely opaque. The first thing you notice is the aromas that blossom thanks to a range of flowers, dark red and black fruits, forest soil, espresso, damp earth, tobacco leaves, and bitter chocolate. Full-bodied, concentrated, rich, deep, opulent, fresh, and intense, the wine coats your palate and sticks to your skin. That's a good thing because it's hard not to want more of all those sweet, ripe, succulent fruits. The purity, symmetry, and length continue for nearly 60 seconds! Give it at least 12 to 15 years to age and it could reach triple digits! The Grand Vin was made from only 35% of the harvest.
Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing
Wine rated 99/100
About wine:
The bouquet of Ducru-Beaucaillou 2018 is simply superb, elegant, vibrant, and deep. Very black fruit-forward, it develops soft notes of graphite with aeration. The palate is silky, deep, and complex with caressing, seductive tannins. Formidably emotional. Bravo!