Château Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien 1990 b5952cb1c3ab96cb3c8c63cfb3dccaca

Wine Spectator

82 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe8/31/2000

A pleasant red but slightly papery, with mineral, berry and cardboard aromas. Medium-bodied, with silky tannins and a medium, papery finish.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. 17,000 cases made.

Wine Advocate

/ 100

byRobert Parkerthe9/1/1998

Many bottles of 1990 Ducru-Beaucaillou have exhibited a damp, musty, cardboard component in the nose that obliterated the wine's fruit. The color was a healthy deep ruby/purple, and the wine possessed moderate weight and length, but, as I have written in the past, too many bottles seem musty, giving the impression of being corked. Interestingly, a bottle served at a friend's house on New Year's Day was unquestionably a 90-point wine, exhibiting no off aromas. Last tasted 11/96. Fortunately, this was the last year for the musty problem in Ducru's wines. no rating

Wine Advocate

/ 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/1997

Two bottles of the 1990 Ducru-Beaucaillou, both purchased from a local retailer, exhibited a damp, musty, cardboard component in the nose that obliterated the wine's fruit. The color was a healthy deep ruby/purple, and the wine possessed moderate weight and length, but, as I have written in the past, too many bottles seem musty, giving the impression of being corked. Interestingly, a bottle served at a friend's house on New Year's Day was unquestionably a 90-point wine, exhibiting no off aromas. no rating

Wine Advocate

89 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/31/1993

The 1990 is a dark ruby-colored wine with a forward bouquet of oak, minerals, and cassis, attractive ripeness, firm tannins, excellent concentration and density, and a powerful, tannic, long finish. It is very closed and requires considerable patience. Anticipated maturity: 1999-2015. Last tasted, 5/93. NOTE: A few examples of the 1990 Ducru have revealed the scent of cardboard intermingled with the wine's rich mineral and cassis aromas. Other bottles have been totally clean.

Wine Advocate

88-90 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe6/30/1992

Barrel samples of Ducru revealed an odd corky component that detracted from the wine. Assuming this odor dissipates, readers can expect a deep ruby-colored wine that is similar to the 1985 given its forward bouquet of oak, minerals, and cassis. While there is attractive ripeness, good tannins, fatness and density, this is not a blockbuster effort. I, as well as some of my readers, have noticed a number of bottles from the 1986 and 1988 vintages that exhibited this same damp cardboard scent. I have written the Borie family to alert them to this problem. Have any readers had problems with the 1989? Anticipated maturity: 1996-2010.