Château Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien 2009

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe1/1/2013

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Ducru Beaucaillou '09 has a classy, sophisticated bouquet with blackberry, dark plum, and a hint of cassis and oyster shell. It displays fine delineation and composure. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe entry. There is very good weight and structure here, a sense of symmetry and grace that is very appealing. This is one of Bruno Borie's finest wines ...although I think the 2010 might turn out even better. Tasted January 2013.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

95 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe7/31/2012

Inky ruby. Intense mineral high notes complement aromas of cassis, smoke and quinine on the deep, very pure nose. Then seamless and graceful in the mouth, with very smooth, glossy, ripe black fruit and mineral flavors lifted by bright harmonious acidity, which confers a sense of refinement to all the plush fruit. The very long finish shows a persistent note of violet. Though this is an atypically big and creamy Ducru, it manages a precise delivery of archetypical Saint-Julien flavors and refinement. 95 (+?) points

Wine Advocate

100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/29/2012

The 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou will eclipse the brilliant wines produced in 2005, 2003 and 2000. It will be interesting to see how the 2009 fares against the 2010 after twenty years of aging, but my money is on the 2009. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, this inky purple, unctuous wine possesses classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, blueberries, violets, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. Full-bodied and intense with Ducru’s inimitable elegance and purity, it should firm up in the bottle after 7-10 years of cellaring and last for 40-50 years. Magnificent! Bruno Borie has done a remarkable job at Ducru Beaucaillou.

Jamessuckling.com

96 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/15/2012

The purity of fruit is wonderful in this, with plums, currants and hints of fresh mushrooms. Hints of cloves too. Full-bodied, with chewy, creamy tannins and a bright fresh finish. Super energy and intensity. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Better in 2018.

Le Figaro

97-100 / 100

byBernard Burtschythe6/30/2010

On pensait que le fabuleux 2005 qui dépassait déjà le légendaire 1961 était insurpassable. Avec le 2009, Ducru-Beaucaillou atteint des cimes qui le mettent dorénavant au niveau des premiers crus avec un vin extraordinairement harmonieux où tous les composants, intrinsèquement de tout premier ordre, se mettent au service d’une rare élégance qui nous charme. Un vin bâti pour l’éternité ! Robe très sombre avec un nez très finement épicé. En bouche, beaucoup d’élégance et de classe, le tout est long et raffiné, plus frais et plus dense que le 2005, plus complet que le mythique 1961. Un colosse aérien, un miracle d’équilibre et de raffinement.

timatkin.com

96 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe6/30/2010

13.6% alcohol. 85 CS, 15M The ludicrous, nightclub-style interior at Ducru led me to expect a wine that was trashy, flashy and meretricious, but I was mistaken. This is certainly oaky, but it has the structure, fruit quality and sumptuous tannins to cope with the barrels. Textured blackberry fruit, with very pure, piercing flavours. A wine of considerable breed. 20+ years.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

93-96 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe6/30/2010

(an 85/15 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot; 13.5% alcohol; pH 3.69; IPT 90; 90% new oak) Inky purple. The nose starts off almost overripe, then turns fresh and bright with air, revealing floral ripe black plum, cassis and pepper aromas. Enters pure and velvety, initially seeming almost outsized in its concentration of opulent, spicy red and black fruit flavors. But for such a plush, powerful wine, this finishes with a classically dry impression, rich and long, with palate-dusting flavor and chewy tannins. A very big wine for Saint-Julien, this Ducru will certainly need at least a few years after release to develop a bit more finesse. It reminds me of the fine '71 made here, but with the added power of the '61.

La Revue du Vin de France

19-20 / 20

the5/31/2010

Ducru 2009 affiche un degré d'alcool raisonnable pour le millésime, avec seulement 13,5°. Il séduit donc par sa fraîcheur et son côté très digeste. Très "Saint-Julien" dans sa construction, il possède un nez envoûtant de fruits noirs frais. La bouche est vigoureuse, mais enrobée par une chair superbe. Le milieu de bouche impressionne par son côté explosif. La finale est immense.

Le Point

17,5-18 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/6/2010

Fruits noirs, épicé, assez mûr, cerise, bouche ronde, moelleuse, veloutée, tendue, vif, serré long, beaucoup de volume, un peu touffu en milieu de bouche, très riche. O=2017 G=25 ans

Falstaff

95-97 / 100

byPeter Moserthe4/30/2010

Feine balsamische Würze, Brombeerkonfit, tabakige Nuancen, zartes Cassis, attraktives Bukett. Süß und rund, enorme Extraktsüße, dunkle Beeren, schokoladiger Abgang, lange anhaftend, frische Struktur, Zitrus im Finish, sehr großes Potenzial.

TAST

19,5 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2010

Il n’y a aucun doute possible, voici le plus grand vin de la propriété depuis un bon demi-siècle et un des chefs-d’oeuvre du millésime : sa puissance harmonieuse, son raffinement aromatique, le taffetas de ses tanins pourtant les plus denses de toute son histoire peuvent servir de modèle de style à tous les vins de cabernetsauvignon de la planète.

Wine Advocate

93-95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/30/2010

Tasted at the château. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, aged in 90% new oak and 10% one-year old for 12 months, cropped at around 42hl/ha coming in with 13.49% alcohol, this has a very deep colour, very lucid. The nose is well defined, very pure, with blackberry, a touch of iodine, something reminiscent of the sea here, perhaps with a touch of seaweed? The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, the new oak very well integrated, quite feminine and sensual, silky towards the long finish. This will need longer to allow the oak to melt into the fabric of the wine but it will be worth the wait. As Bruno Borie said: imagine Beyonce. Tasted March 2010.

Wine Enthusiast

92-94 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/30/2010

This has fruit, with delicious black berry fruits. It charms with elegance and ripeness at the same time as giving a core of tannin. Definitely on the fruity side.

Wein Wisser

20 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/30/2010

85 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. Extrem dunkles Purpur mit lila und violetten Reflexen. Überraschend wuchtiges Bouquet von schwarzen Kirschen, Brombeergelée, Trüffeln, Zedern und Black Currant, noble Süsse, sehr edel im Ansatz. Perfekter, feinseidiger Gaumen mit viel Schmelz und delikat-pfeffriger Rasse, viel Lakritz und Szechuanpfeffer im dicken, fetten Extrakt, im Finale «schwarze » Aromen. Das volle Tanninpaket stützt den für einen Beaucaillou ungewöhnlich hohen Alkoholgehalt von 13,5 Vol.-%. 2019–2050

Wine Advocate

96-98 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/28/2010

Can the 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou be better than the brilliant 2000 and extraordinary 2003 and 2005? Purchasers will have to decide for themselves, but this compelling effort is one of the all-time great Ducru Beaucaillous. It is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, and, remarkably, despite the fact that 90% new oak was utilized, not a hint of wood can be found in either the aromatics or flavors. This inky/purple-hued, unctuously textured 2009 reveals layers and layers of blue, red, and black fruits, and hints of licorice and spice box. Despite its substantial, massive size, it retains an elegant style, but will need 3-5 years of cellaring. It should last for 40+ years. (Tasted once.) Drink 2013-2053. (96-98+) points

Periodic Review of Wine

95-97 / 100

byAlan Duranthe4/28/2010

Another giant similar to the 2005 and 2003 vintage. The densely saturated ruby/purple hue proceeds to blackberry, crème de cassis/white chocolate, blueberries, lead-pencil, and flower that conspire to give a scrumptious aromatic display. While unbelievable crammed, loaded, and stuffed, this Ducru does not lose its light-footed, gorgeously precise concentration. It is certainly well-endowed with inky-potent flavor of blackberry and cassis accompanied by a full-bodied mouth-feel which indicated great upside potential for this stunning offering. Maturity period 2016-2038.

Anthony Rose

96-98 / 100

byAnthony Rosethe4/26/2010

85% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 90% new oak, 13.5% alcohol. Very dense opaque colour, sexy new oak nose, complex and aromatic, lovely sweet, rich ripe, opulent but above all very pure blueberry and cassis black fruits, lots of tannin, but sweet tannin and behind it a high level of concentration and richness, with lovely fresh damsony acidity and overall superb finesse; very, very smart indeed. Lovely wine. Despite the intoxicating razzmatazz of the cellar’s nightclub atmosphere with its long-legged beauties, there's no doubting the fine quality (of the wine) here.

Wine Spectator

96-99 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/9/2010

This has an impressive powerful and hearty structure, with seductive floral, currant and licorice aromas and flavors, showing powerful tannins at the end. This sneaks up on you at the end. Structured and very, very powerful. The blockbuster tannins are sweet and fruit-coated. This is a classic, powerful style of Ducru. May be best yet. Wow.

Decanter Magazine

18.5 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/9/2010

Black red, very smoky, really concentrated nose, lots of extraction, massively structured, certainly a most impressive wine, one of the blockbusters of the vintage. Drink 2017-30.

Jancis Robinson

17 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/7/2010

45 hl/ha, 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. IPT (total polyphenol index) was 90 (ie high). Very dark crimson. Crimson, purple rim. Dense and peppery and quite mineral. Much more serious on the nose than the Croix de Beaucaillou. Very polished. Lots of energy. Bone dry, spicy finish. Pretty drying tannins. Not really as soft as Bruno Borie maintains, I think. Cool and slightly tarry. Very very youthful. 13.5%. Drink 2019-2030