Castle Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien 2006

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/31/2016

Tasted at the château, the 2006 Ducru Beaucaillou has a precocious bouquet for the vintage: opulent ripe dark cherry, red plum and cassis fruit, mint and hints of vanilla pod. It is very well defined and very sensual. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet opening, plenty of dark cherry and blackberry, Hoisin, a touch of cedar and again mint. There is fine depth here, surprisingly young with a dense, slightly tarry finish that suggests another 2-3 years will be appropriate.

Jancis Robinson

15.50 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe1/27/2010

Very light soapy nose. Then sweetness and rather a mellow mid palate but fairly light and angular with lots of greenness on the finish. Drink 2011-2018

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

the12/31/2009

The ambitious Bruno Borie owns this esteemed second-growth in Saint Julien. Since taking the helm and ownershop of this propert for his family in the mid-1990s, he has improved quality dramatically, producing powerful, rich and structured reds that often rival the Médoc first-growths. The 2006 is reminiscent of its great 1995 (our Wine of the Year in 1998) with its dense fruit and firm tannins. Only time will tell which version is better.

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

the3/31/2009

Very perfumed and beautiful, showing blackberry and raspberry aromas, with hints of vanilla. Deep and complex. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, powerful finish. Excellent for the vintage. Best after 2015. –JS

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/1/2009

This classic, backward, tannic St.-Julien is made in the style of the 1996 and 1986. The 2006 Ducru Beaucaillou possesses a dense purple color along with a sweet perfume of graphite, black raspberries, cassis, licorice, and subtle toasty oak. Despite their prominent place in the wine’s structure, the sweetness of the tannins and the full-bodied, muscular style suggest exceptional patience will be required. This is a big, substantial, meaty, masculine wine built for considerable longevity. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

91-93 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe6/30/2008

Good medium ruby-red. Aromas of black fruits, minerals, licorice and sexy cedary oak. Supple on entry, then quite penetrating in the middle, with firm acids giving this wine an impression of power that the 2007 isn't showing today. And yet the solid tannins convey a distinctly sweet impression. Considering the fact that this was fined a month before my visit, it's showing splendidly today.

La Revue du Vin de France

17,5-18,5 / 20

the7/6/2007

Un vin très ciselé et d'une grande pureté aromatique, avec un fruit net et croquant. Il affiche une acidité imposante et une matière très tendue, précise, avec beaucoup de finesse de corps etdes tanins élégants et raffinés.

Decanter Magazine

18.50 / 20

the6/30/2007

Black-red, superb extraction that marries fragrance and power, really pure fruit with lots of concentration yet more finesse than in 2005. 2015-40

Le Point

16.50-17 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/24/2007

Poivre, prune, mûre, joli nez très flatteur, bouche ronde, du gras de l'onctuosité, tanins moelleux, vin riche, dense, opulent.

Falstaff

91-93 / 100

the5/24/2007

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, jugendliche Reflexe, violetter Rand. In der Nase einladende dunkle Beerenfrucht, Brombeeren. Am Gaumen saftig, wirkt fast leichtfüßig, das Holz ist perfekt integriert, fast unmerkbar, ein sehr eleganter und runder Wein, der eine sehr gute Lagerfähigkeit entwickeln wird, aber auch jetzt schon sehr trinkanimierend ausfällt. Er wird bereits nach einigen Jahren viel Freude bereiten und andererseits gut lagerfähig sein.

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/7/2007

2017-2045. Tiefes, dunkles Granat, violette Reflexe. Bewegendes Nasenbild, viel schwarze Kirschen, Korinthen, Rauch, Noblesse, schwarze Früchte und Edelhölzer, eine wunderschöne Terroiraromatik aufweisend, delikat angepasste Rösttöne und dunkle Toastnoten. Im Gaumen ein gebündeltes, immer noch schwarzbeerig bleibendes Finessenpaket, eine Klasse für sich, vom Tabak und von den Zedernholznoten her Ducru in reinkarnierter Form, wie ganz alte, grosse Ducru-Jahrgänge, nur von der Technik her noch brillanter, Alterungspotenzial von mindestens 40 Jahren, wird dabei die angestammte Jugendschönheit nie ganz verlieren. Eine grossartige Alternative zu den teuren Premiers.

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/3/2007

Similar in style to the 1996, proprietor Bruno Borie continues to curtail yields, now producing just under 10,000 cases of the grand vin, and the rest of the production going into the increasingly high quality second wine, La Croix de Ducru Beaucaillou. The backward, tannic, dense purple-colored 2006 Ducru Beaucaillou offers sweet mineral-infused black cherry and cassis fruit interwoven with notions of graphite and truffles. Powerful, pure, rich, and intense, it should be at its peak between 2017-2035.

TAST

18 / 20

the4/30/2007

Une merveille de délicatesse dans la puissance, avec cette chose si rare, un toucher de bouche merveilleusement crémeux, et une longueur déjà considérable. Très marqué par les cabernets et leurs notes de cèdre, à la façon de Lafite, et peut-être encore plus affiné que Lafite, mais moins vineux. Grande réussite confirmant la reprise en main de la propriété par Bruno Borie. La Croix de Borie (15/20), le second vin du château, très précis et défini, n’atteint pas encore tout à fait le niveau d’un Clos du Marquis, plus harmonieux et plus long en bouche.

Vinum

17.50 / 20

the4/30/2007

Vielschichtig, Minze und Beeren; elegant und dicht, langes, geschmeidiges, blumiges Finale, die Eleganz kommt vor der Dichte; schöner, klassischer Ducru. 2014 bis 2022

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/15/2007

Tasted at the château. A deep garnet/purple core. This has a very fine, sensuous, almost exotic ripe nose with great purity: blackberry, vanilla, crushed violets, lots of cedar. The palate is full-bodied and quite decadent: good concentration, very pure and plump though without the poise and tension one finds on Léoville Las-Cases. Very rounded on the finish that could do with a little more weight and penetration. Very attractive Ducru-Beaucaillou that I feel may surpass the 2005 after bottling.

Jancis Robinson

17 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/11/2007

Deep crimson. Spicy, finely polished nose. Very glossy, only very slightly inky. Glossy, polished ink. Gentle – tastes as though it has been ripened gently. The tannins are very fine, pretty sandpapery. Very delicate though a little dry on the finish. Not much real fruit weight in the middle. Inky finish. Gouleyant, very fine, very classic indeed. In the true sense of classic rather than ‘= off vintage’. Will surely appeal mainly to classicists. [See 2005] Rather in the mould of Ch Margaux. 17++

Jean-Marc QUARIN

17-17.25 / 20

the4/11/2007

Wine Spectator

92-94 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/29/2007

Layered and rich, with lots of licorice and berry character. Turns to currants. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long finish. Very serious. Like it a lot. 1996 again. This is almost 95-100.