Château Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien 2015

Decanter.com

97 / 100

byJane Ansonthe1/26/2018

Here, black fruits, bitter dark chocolate and inky liquorice abound. The texture is extremely impressive, really punching above the average St-Julien in this vintage. It is gorgeously withheld at the moment, but with so much promise of what lies ahead. It is subtle but hugely persistent on the palate. 100% new oak for 18 months. Bottled in July.

Jeb DUNNUCK

96 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe11/30/2017

Vinifera

5 / 5

the5/31/2016

Grand nez, profond, sur des notes grillées, fruits noirs, myrtille, cassis. Bouche ultra précise, à l’attaque veloutée. Beaucoup de continuité au palais. Le tanin, précis, légèrement épicé, est d’un grand raffinement. Magnifique finale, complexe.Tout a été vendangé entre le 1er et le 5 octobre. « Il y a eu une fenêtre de tir assez étroite » déclare Bruno Borie. « Les millésimes  précédents, beaucoup plus difficiles, nous ont donné une approche très précise. Le plus gros problème, c’était la prise de botrytisavant la vendange ».

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/30/2016

Dark in color, with a bit of purple around the rim, the wine feels silky, plush and rich on the palate, The sweet fruits have freshness and definition. The tannins are polished like velvet, leaving you with a long sensation of ripe boysenberries, dark chocolate, espresso, licorice and smoke. The finish really lingers on the palate. This is a tremendous wine for the vintage, equal to any of the First Growths. Produced from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot, the wine reached 13.42% alcohol with a pH of 3.89 and is aging in 100% new French oak barrels.

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/29/2016

The 2015 Ducru Beaucaillou is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot, picked from around 28 September to 6 October. Matured in 100% new oak for what will be 18 months, delivering 13.5% alcohol, it has a relatively opulent bouquet for Saint Julien, with ripe black plum mixed with blackberry and cranberry, very well defined and neatly interwoven with the new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly savory opening, gently but insistently gripping the mouth. It feels dense and structured with a subtle marine-like note towards the linear, black olive-tinged finish. Bruno Borie has a 2015 with backbone, with longevity in mind. I suspect this will require a decade for the tannins to soften and continue the purple patch for this grand estate.

Bettane & Desseauve

18 / 20

the4/28/2016

Beaucoup d’harmonie, de complexité, de tendresse, avec un retour de tannin très racé. Il devrait prendre du corps avec un an supplémentaire de fût. C’est d’ailleurs presque un mono-cépage (95 % de cabernet sauvignon, peut être le pourcentage le plus élevé du Médoc dans ce millésime).

Vinous

94-96 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/27/2016

The 2015 Ducru-Beaucaillou offers notable depth, power and richness. There is plenty of tannin lurking beneath, but it is nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Smoke, tobacco, charcoal, leather and dark stone fruits give the 2015 much of its brooding, tightly wound personality. A wine of pedigree and exceptional class, the 2015 Ducru is structured yet also spherical in texture, with terrific balance and tons of style. The 2015 is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot.

Decanter.com

96 / 100

bySteven Spurrierthe4/27/2016

Extraordinary blend of finesse and depth from 95% Cabernet. A wine with a taffeta texture that enhances the extreme purity and depth of fruit. Hard to imagine a better balanced, more vineyard-expressive wine.2023-2050

timatkin.com

96 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe4/20/2016

Jancis Robinson

17,5 /

byJancis Robinsonthe4/18/2016

95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot. IPT 75, pH 3.89, 35 hl/ha. Highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon ever. 100% new oak. From 2003 the wine has been aged for 18 months in barrel. Very deep. Lifted and fresh. Very correct and unforced. Very sweet. Only just not too sweet… Transparent. Very expressive. Lively and fresh but a bit sinewy. 13.42% Drink 2023-2036

Wine Enthusiast

95-97 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/15/2016

Barrel Sample. This wine is powerful with a smooth texture that masks dark tannins underneath. The fruit is sensual and generous with a fine, precise texture. This has so much fruit that it could be drunk young, but it certainly will age. 96 points

René Gabriel

19 / 20

the4/10/2016

95 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 % Merlot. Sattes Purpur-Granat, dicht in der Mitte, lila Schimmer aussen. Noch nie war ein Ducru so süss bei der Primeurprobe, ein Korb voll Maulbeeren, Brombeeren und Cassis, füllig, schier opulent, zumindest komplex. Im Gaumen zieht sich diese ausufernde Frucht weiter, dann kommt die Adstringenz! Sie zeigt das immense Potential dieses Weines auf, er wirkt so dann streng und verlangend, gebündelter Druck im extrem langen Finale. Zweifellos ein grosser Wein. Im Gegensatz zu anderen Crus war die Ernte hier eher klein mit etwa 35 hl/ha. Er wird in 100 % neuem Holz ausgebaut. Mit einem Ziel von 18 Monaten. Gehört zu den grossen Ducru's. Und von solchen gab es in den letzten Jahren praktisch eine nahtlose Serie. 19/20 2025 – 2060

Jamessuckling.com

95-96 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/5/2016

A dense and compressed red with loads of blackberry and blueberry character. Fresh wet vineyard soil. Some mushroom too. Full and very tannic yet polished and very refined. Super balance and depth.