Ducru-Beaucillou dinner with Bruno Borie

Amuse Bouche
Tasted Tuesday, June 4, 2013 by JulianSkeels with 687 views

Introduction

For me a vertical of wines characterized by their balance, good mid-palate, but slightly watery finish.

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2009 Château Lalande-Borie 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Dusty, slightly oaky nose. Light body, good mid-palate.
    Simple, cheap alcoholic aftertaste, with tart cherry.

    Enjoyed with baked French quail tart with Jabugo ham, ceps, smoked quail egg

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  • 2009 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Croix de Beaucaillou 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Noticeably darker than the Lalande Borie 2009, and much richer with a longer finish (20+ secs). Lots of plums. However, finish became drier with air… drinks well young but how will it age?

    92pts (for now)

    Enjoyed with baked French quail tart with Jabugo ham, ceps, smoked quail egg

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2008 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Mineral nose, but amazing mouthfeel – acidic but a lovely balance and sense of freshness, certainly much better than the 2003 Ducru. Will be a great wine if puts on some more weight (which it should do).

    Enjoyed with penne pasta with celery root, black truffle and parmesan flake

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  • 2003 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Roasted meat and smoke nose, very rich. Good… but will it last? I have already drunk my bottles and this bottle (from Bruno) seemed to show some drying tannins.

    Very broad palate though, but finish somewhat disappointing. The bottle was decanted for 30mins, and it became noticeably more savory with air (with a nice hint of figs)

    Enjoyed with penne pasta with celery root, black truffle and parmesan flake

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 2000 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Sweet, fantastic balance. Great mid-palate, just lacks the matching finish at the moment. Wonderful wine – this is the Ducru to buy, and it happens to be one of the cheapest!

    Enjoyed with Iberico pork loin with confit savoy cabbage and a natural jus

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  • 1996 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Good balance and acidity - actually reminded me of a 2008 Ducru with more fruit. Dry finish and the most tannic of all the wines. It also had one of the most typical St Julien noses of the vertical – lots of cedar and smoke. Became drier with time in the glass, but I think this will age well.

    Enjoyed with Iberico pork loin with confit savoy cabbage and a natural jus

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Flight 4 (2 Notes)

  • 1985 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Better nose than the 1982 Ducru, some cedar and smoke – but much less expressive than many other St Julien wines in 1985. A more elegant and balance version of the 82 Ducru.

    Much as I love 1985 St Julien wines, I would however take the 2000 Ducru over this (for an elegant wine) any day of the week – in terms of both quality and value.

    From a bottle that had been re-corked at Ducru.

    Enjoyed with slow-cooked and roasted Australian lamb rack crusted with red capsicum, tomato and sauce a la sarriette

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  • 1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Lots of new saddle leather on the nose. Rich, dark and with a broad mid-palate. The best nose of all Ducru wines tasted. Far from the being the biggest 1982 wine I have encountered, this is all about balance and sweetness. Held up extremely well, there is no hurry to drink this – indeed it may still be improving.

    Enjoyed with slow-cooked and roasted Australian lamb rack crusted with red capsicum, tomato and sauce a la sarriette

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Flight 5 (1 Note)

  • 2009 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Very sweet with oak, gooseberries and cranberries on the nose. Deep and dark wine with lots of blackberry, tree bark, saline and oak in the mouth.

    Very modern blockbuster style but definitely structured and somewhat elegant (albeit far from feminine). I’m just not sure this will ever be as good as the 1982 Ducru.

    Enjoyed with a cheese selection

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