Château Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien 1994

Wine Advocate

90 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/1997

Ducru-Beaucaillou experienced an uncharacteristically shaky period between 1986 and 1990. The winemaking did not suffer, but the inconsistency from bottle to bottle (too many wines exhibited a musty, wet cardboard-like aroma), is history. The construction of a new cellar and replacement of every barrel has guaranteed the conditions necessary to produce trouble free wines. Ducru is on a roll, with fine efforts over recent vintages, including an exceptional 1994, spectacular 1995, and what looks to be an equally profound, super-concentrated 1996. A top-notch effort in this vintage, Ducru-Beaucaillou's 1994 displays a dark purple color, a textbook, cassis, mineral, licorice, and floral-scented nose, medium body, outstanding extract and purity, moderate tannin, and a persuasively rich, sweet, spicy finish. Everything is well-integrated (including the tannin). This should prove to be a classic St.-Julien. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2022.

Wine Spectator

87 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe1/31/1997

Offers a goodly amount of ripe fruit and dried cherry flavors, well balanced for the vintage, medium, round tannins and a fruity finish. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate

89-91 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1996

Ducru-Beaucaillou's 1994 exhibits a surprisingly evolved, spicy, cedary, curranty nose with attractive mineral and vanillin (from new oak) notes in the background. The wine reveals an excellent saturated ruby/purple color, a sweet, ripe attack, medium to full body, surprising density for a 1994, and plenty of mineral-tinged, cassis flavors. This long, classy, exceptionally well-made St.-Julien may merit an outstanding rating. Drink it between 1999-2016. I should note that while a name had not yet been chosen (the most likely candidate is La Croix Beaucaillou), Ducru-Beaucaillou has begun producing a second wine with the 1994 vintage.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/1995

An exceptional Ducru-Beaucaillou, the 1994 reveals an opaque dark purple color, and the classic Ducru nose of sweet cassis fruit intertwined with subtle notes of minerals, herbs, vanillin, and spring flowers. Sweet and rich, with medium body, high tannin, and a long, explosive finish, this wine possesses the requisite depth, flesh, and fruit extraction to stand up to the wine's formidable structure. My instincts suggest it may rival the 1990, 1989, and 1985, perhaps even the 1982. Like many 1994 Bordeaux, it requires 8-10 years of cellaring, and it should last for 30 years.