France · Bordeaux

Ducru-Beaucaillou

Ducru-Beaucaillou is one of the most celebrated Second Growths of Saint-Julien, renowned for combining elegance, precision, and extraordinary longevity. The estate takes its name from the beautiful large stones — beaux cailloux — of gravel that characterise its 75-hectare vineyard, which stretches along the Gironde estuary. The Borie family has owned Ducru since 1941, and under Jean-Eugène Borie and his son Bruno, the estate has consistently produced wines of exceptional finesse. The style is quintessentially St-Julien: silky tannins, polished structure, and an aromatic complexity that encompasses cassis, cedar, tobacco, and a distinctive mineral salinity from the estuarine gravel. A new gravity-fed winery completed in 2016 has further elevated precision. The great vintages — 1961, 1970, 1978, 1985, 1986, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2016 — are considered benchmarks of the appellation. The second wine La Croix de Beaucaillou is notably fine. Ducru is also behind the excellent La Croix de Beaucaillou and Moulin de la Rose. At auction, Ducru commands prices at the upper end of Second Growth valuations, reflecting its consistent critical acclaim and the passionate following it maintains among serious Bordeaux collectors.