Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2023

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. If freshness and fruit are the common denominator of Bruno Borie's wines, the bouquet of Ducru complements this logic with depth, authenticity and complexity. The symbiosis between the freshness of the Cabernet and the ripeness of the Merlot is not only exciting but also convincing. Ducru announces itself with charisma, with varying degrees of serenity. It knows who it is, but has yet to make us realise it. On the palate, the wine is delicate and at the same time shows its strength and personality. It benefits from the unconditional support of its creamy, precise and subtly austere tannins. A wine with character, perhaps a little more austere than usual, but so Médoc! There is no doubt about it, and even if its shadow were to hover over the nest of the 2023 Ducru, it would be quickly neutralised by the greatness of the wine. Time reveals all the phases of a life, and we are only at the beginning of a very long journey for one of the greatest wines of St-Julien, if not of Bordeaux. Isn't it good to be reminded of the importance of time, that precious commodity that we are always trying to squeeze out? But time doesn't change anything: if you're good, you're good! You'll have to forgive this pirouette: what you have is often unchangeable, but you have to know how to take care of it. And that's exactly what Bruno Borie and his team do.

This has aromas of blackberries and blackcurrant, as well as graphite and flint. Some gunpowder. It’s full-bodied with extremely refined tannins, a creamy character and al-dente fruit at the finish. Crunchy, succulent and linear. Mineral edge to it, like licking a stone. Energetic. 83% cabernet sauvignon and 17% merlot.

In my personal experience, the 2023 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou shows more of the classic Médoc restraint, dialing back some of its inherent boldness and intensity. This year, the traditionally lavish fruit aromas have transformed into a refined blend of black tea, black goji berries, black moss, and graphite. If Château Ducru-Beaucaillou used to be like a dramatic fruit waterfall, this year it resembles a calm river. The iconic richness and maturity are elegantly displayed through gentle extraction, and the velvety tannins envelop me like a luxurious velvet blanket. Special pruning techniques and more “green harvest” have reduced the average yield to only 35hl/ha (lower than the average production of Saint-Julien), but the quality remains flawless.