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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.5 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 102 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Cailles on 3/18/2024 & rated 91 points: Tasted double blind. No detailed notes taken. Very classic, old-school Bordeaux with a lot of minerality and freshness as the defining components. It misses a bit of depth and there’s not enough fruit to create a good balance but it’s still quite enjoyable to drink. Surprisingly, this had almost no tertiary aromas yet.
Decanting: Not decanted, no extensive decanting needed. (495 views) | | | Tasted by Collector1855 on 2/23/2024 & rated 94 points: Bordeaux 2014, 10-years on tasted blind: One of the encore wines. I liked the forest floor nose here a lot, with tertiary aromas of a mature Claret. Elegant palate, tannins finally dissolved, dark berries, restraint and mineralic. Drink up, with food. (862 views) | | | Tasted by wineton.mee on 12/31/2023 & rated 93 points: Good red fruits, packed quite a punch and quintessentially Bordeaux. Outperforming the vintage here and I’d have thought this from a much stronger year from the late 90s. (624 views) | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 12/30/2023 flawed bottle: End of year celebration: Very slight TCA but wow this was so vibrant for the weak vintage. Supple, sweet dark red fruit that made me think right-bank. (871 views) | | | Tasted by gcarl on 9/30/2022 & rated 93 points: Same impressions as on 12/12/16 and 5/4/17, but this time decanted slowly and allowed to breath for 1/2 hour. Glad to have 2 more in the cellar. (1983 views) | | | Tasted by Nothung on 6/21/2022 & rated 92 points: A beautiful, mature Bordeaux. Drinking well, but won’t improve from here. Probably nearing the end of its drinking plateau, so drink up. (2023 views) | | | Tasted by PhN on 1/28/2022 & rated 90 points: Delicious claret that took about an hour to open and continued for several hours. I concur with those who believe it is starting to decline. Drink up! (2330 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 1/31/2021 & rated 93 points: drunk alongside the 1989 Trotanoy (admittedly a strange combination...), and very surprisingly much the better of the two - this was delicious: mature, complex and long - plenty of life left but sadly the last of my bottles (3709 views) | | | Tasted by rupertg on 12/12/2020 & rated 92 points: Last bottle. Black centre, touch of orange at the rim. Almost no sediment. Took three hours to really open up. Old and delicate. At the end of the advised drinking window. Not much nose, but in the mouth is full of flavour. Velvety feel, tannin there but not dominant. The cedar wood I so like in younger St Julian is missing but there is a fruitiness, blackcurrant and pear mix ? Surprising ‘sweetness’, although it’s bone dry. Fascinating, but not a crowd pleaser. Finished the bottle trying to puzzle it out ! Conclusion - drink in the first two thirds of the range for maximum enjoyment. Almost like different wines. Need to know that people like aged Bordeaux before sharing it. Serve with simple, quality dishes. Looking at the current retail price, I would not see it as value for money. (3579 views) | | | Tasted by Song103 on 8/5/2020 & rated 92 points: Bought at EP to commemorate my wedding. Store in UK bonded warehouse ever since. Bottle in perfect shape. Double decanted for 90 minutes. Deep purple will no browning on the rim, tertiary flavour fully developed and fully integrated with the oak and fruit. A taste of yesteryears, classic proportioned, smooth and subtle. If I can score how enjoyable it was, it will be 96+ (3270 views) | | | Tasted by Bibidudu on 8/2/2020 & rated 90 points: Tobacco leather blankftuits
Tanning bit dry and biting
Still nice to drink but somehow not as attractive as other nicer vintage
It has a trade mark ducru b taste. But the texture wasn’t as juice and rounded
It did taste better after breathing for a while. A bit rigid fresh out of bottle (2898 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 5/15/2019: Acker Auction - May 2019 (Zuma in NYC): From a magnum. Drinking well. Lots of black fruits and very bright. Bit of herbs in the mid-palate. Very nice. (4474 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 5/8/2019 & rated 88 points: light easy drinking wine - lovely bouquet - needs drinking (2930 views) | | | Tasted by townjbc on 3/16/2019 & rated 89 points: Nice wine still, but not great. A bit of a disappointment given it’s station. (2913 views) | | | Tasted by hsacks on 1/26/2019 & rated 94 points: Similar to the 6/18/16 bottle except even more complex and longer on the palate. (2856 views) | | | Tasted by meadowlake59 on 12/26/2018 & rated 88 points: Purchased at auction in 1999 and stored in my cellar since.
Good dark color, a bit of reddish brick on edge. Nose a bit reticent at first--with coaxing, solid black fruit--dried plums, maybe a bit of a pruney aroma, menthol, cigar box, wet leather, and a whiff of vanilla. Good velvety texture on the palate, with high-toned spice and similar flavors to the nose, but thinner and not as pleasing. Tannins are soft and broad, finish is a bit astringent. In other words, better aromas than flavors. Others at dinner were more impressed but my guess is that this bottle is on the downside--not bad, but this is not going to improve and was probably better 5 years ago. Drink now. (2875 views) | | | Tasted by Dionysos 1920 on 12/2/2018 & rated 92 points: Couleur sombre, très légère évolution, nez de sous-bois, mûres, cassis, champignons, tabac, bouche ronde, souple, tannins fondus, poivrons, chocolat, assez fruités, tannins et fin de bouche, un peu léger (1593 views) | | | Tasted by Leto South on 11/30/2018 & rated 93 points: Decanted 3 hrs. Fairly deep red/black colour, paling edge. Classic St Julien nose w minerality, floral, some sweet liquorice, cassis. Rounded tannins (but definitely there), crisp acidity, fruit still fresh w liquorice and some herbs. Very well balanced, elegant wine. Long, balanced, complex aftertaste. Wine probably peaking now. Fantastic effort for a 1994! (2104 views) | | | Tasted by pinotwok on 6/2/2018 & rated 90 points: Ein typischer 94er. Rustikal und für moderne Begriffe sperrig, ganz leicht unsauber im Abgang. Dafür aber auch sehr klassisch. Tabak, Zeder, Waldboden, rote Frucht. Braucht noch etwas Luft, dann sehr gut ausbalanciert, feines Extrakt und passende Säure, rote und blaue Beeren, mineralisch, ein wenig Pilze und Sous-Bois, ganz leicht unsauberes Tannin im Abgang. Kein Ducru-typisches TCA in dieser Flasche. (3089 views) | | | Tasted by townjbc on 5/31/2018 & rated 90 points: Pale rim, but pleasant robe. On the nose definitely black current with oak in the background. Lighter weight wine, but tasty fruit on the palate. Tannins still in the wine and finish. Not going to get any better. (2883 views) | | | Tasted by eboracum on 5/12/2018 & rated 90 points: I am not a systematic detractor of the 1994 Bordeaux vintage. This one is fairly typical of those which have come my way with its robust and quite youthful colour and body but also in a deficit of charm and length. It was nevertheless a good pairing for Angus steak because of its savoury fruit, marked minerals and acidity, virile but somewhat austere character and still firm finish. I tasted this wine in a vertical in the late 90s (70 and 66 were the stars of the show) and it was not then a pleasant experience because of quite fierce tannins. There is some trace of these still but it is now just about very good. (2762 views) | | | Tasted by Aravind Asok on 4/13/2018: Completely Ducru, but the vintage shines (wrong word?) through. Nice nose of dried raspberry, cedar, tobacco and wet earth. On the palate, more sweet tobacco, black fruit, and herbs. Good acidity, but ok depth...comes across as thin, with a hint of tannin on the finish. Not bad, but this btl seemed past its prime. (2795 views) | | | Tasted by yotaiwan on 12/23/2017 & rated 85 points: tastes old and dated, with dry plums and wet straw. hope its the bottle. (3078 views) | | | Tasted by justpkj on 10/26/2017 & rated 88 points: Not a powerhouse in terms of concentration or complexity. Little bricking evident. Lighter color made wife ask if I was drinking a Pinot. Tannins biting, red fruits, some leather, cedar with a medium finish. Tannins mellowed and wine developed after a couple of hours. Paired with bone in prime rib. Roast chicken and gratin could be a better choice. (2868 views) | | | Tasted by eboracum on 10/8/2017 & rated 91 points: 1994 is a red Bordeaux vintage with a lot of critics but I seem to have been luckier than many with my choices. This one is fairly typical being enjoyable with good quite pristine colour and robustness but without some of the graciousness and length of a Ducru-B from a fine vintage. The nose was perhaps the best feature with expressive mineral tinged red fruit. The palate was medium/full bodied and savoury in complexion with some depth, smooth texture, fresh acidity and still firm residual tannins towards the finish. An unusual feature was that it was not enhanced by its food pairing of young veal and seemed more complex after the dish was finished. No signs of imminent decline. Very good. (2808 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, Where the Heart Is: Ducru-Beaucaillou 1934-2018 (Jul 2022)
(Ducru-Beaucaillou Ducru-Beaucaillou Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Producer website - Read more about Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou
A visit to Ducru Beaucaillou -https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/ducru-beaucaillou.html
"Pour Boys" Chicago vertical tasting of Ducru Beaucaillou -
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/11/ducru-beaucaillou-vertical-showcases.html
Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.St. Julien VdB
Read more detailed information on St. Julien and its wines The seventeenth century pioneers Traces are to be found of a Saint-Julien de Rintrac, perhaps Saint-Julien's earliest name, as from the thirteenth century. But we have to wait until the seventeenth century pioneers, urban and rural aristocrats, discover the exceptional merits of these terroirs.
Traces of this system still exist today in the structure of estates within the appellation: by the side of the two villages of Beychevelle and Saint-Julien, the large estates are heavily preponderant, representing more than four fifths of the total surface of vineyards.
The terrain is practically identical over all the commune. Only the proximity of the estuary, sometimes close, sometimes further away, can cause slight variations in climate. In fact, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle's layer of gravel takes the form of a huge rectangle over 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. And the alluvial deposits are particularly well fragmented into ridges of Garonne gravel of the early Quaternary. Accordingly, the vines are safeguarded from stagnant water.
The wines from the Saint-Julien appellation may be recognized by their unparalleled bouquet, particularly harmonious and mild. They have a fine deep colour and combine the finesse of their aromas and a solid constitution. They have body, are very rich in flavour and have a delicious and delicate bouquet.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Saint-Julien appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Saint-Julien and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cussac, and Saint-Laurent, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions: grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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