Château Croix Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien 2018 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48

Château Croix Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien 2018 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48

From July 1 to October 10, the sun literally bathed the whole of summer 2018 (35 days at over 30° C and 6 at over 35° C). 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 By adding to this the hard work of our teams, we are reaching an exception with this vintage. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 In terms of rainfall, Saint Julien was privileged. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 Indeed, from November 1, 2017 to October 31, 2018, the municipality shows a deficit of (-) 75 mm compared to the thirty-year average and over the vegetative period alone (mid-April to mid-October), (-) 39 mm 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 of rain with notably a marked drought in August and September. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 This climatic advantage is clearly reflected in the wines. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 At the end of the cycle, the few drops of September 6, 21, 23 and 27, insufficient to trigger botrytis, complete the perfect ripening of the grapes. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 The harvest takes place 120 (and sometimes on some plots up to 130) days after flowering. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 They are characterized by fully accomplished ripeness, impeccable sanitary condition, very small berries (0.80/0.9 g on the Cabernet-Sauvignons; 0.9 to 1.00 on the Merlots; 0.6 to 0. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 7 on the Petit Verdots), thick skins and ideal maturity of the pips (hazelnut) allowing the start of reasonably unbridled vinification. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 Never – it seems to me – have we picked Cabernet Sauvignons with such a level of maturity. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 The Merlots on their side are of a very rare constitution. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 As for the Petit-Verdots – which we find, however, only in La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou – they are downright historic. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 The whole is very pleasing: concentration, richness, smoothness, allied in a very nice balance thanks to a good acidity and a consistent level of alcohol. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 While the figures could invite us further south, these are by no means “wines from elsewhere”. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 Beyond the power, they kept a lot of freshness, a lot of fruit. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 These wines are undeniably Saint-Julien, resolutely Ducru-Beaucaillou. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 Everything here is harmoniously balanced, which is why we can undoubtedly speak of this vintage as an authentic masterpiece. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 In fact, it is – for me – a “SHOCKING” vintage. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 Shocking on two counts: On the emotional level: when tasted, a ball that explodes in the mouth then pours into you, irrigating your whole body, initiating incredible, unknown chills, causing goosebumps all the way to the 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 end of your limbs. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 On the referential level: it is a new “standard meter”. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 A new reference. 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48 After him, as was the case for the reference vintages such as: 1945 or 1961, nothing will now be the same! 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48