Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou - Saint-Julien Red 2009

Wine region: Bordeaux 

Expert Rating 

100 points Jeb Dunnuck

 Probably one of my most consistent 100 pointers, I've been lucky enough to taste through close to a case of this beauty and it's never failed to just utterly blow me away. Still purple-hued with maybe just a hint of lightening around the edges, the 2009 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou offers an incredible bouquet of black currants, white truffle, cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and a hint of flowers. A good portion of its baby fat has melted away, and it's full-bodied and elegant on the palate, with silky tannins, incredible depth of fruit, and a gorgeous finish. This is pure elegance and finesse paired with richness and texture. A quintessential Bordeaux, drink bottles any time over the coming 40-50 years. It actually reminds me of the 1982, only better!  (11/2020)

 Remarkably fresh and delicate nose yet classic and aromatic and full of spicy and graphite notes with liquorice, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, and cherry. Very fresh and elegant, the palate is formidable and shows the classic style of Ducru-Beaucaillou with its characteristic tension and upright structure and the powerful personality of a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine from one of the great terroirs of the Médoc. Bravo! (YC)  (5/2021)

 Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou bursts from the glass with bombastic crème de cassis, black cherry compote and preserved plums notes followed by hints of menthol, hoisin, dusty soil and incense plus fragrant wafts of candied violets and baker’s chocolate. Full bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, the palate offers a beautifully plush texture and bags of freshness, finishing long and layered. An absolute powerhouse! (LPB)  (8/2020)

 The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a fantastic wine. Here it bursts from the glass, perhaps less Pauillac-like than previous bottles, beautifully defined with a smorgasbord of red and black fruit laced with cedar and tobacco. There is no hedonism here, just wonderful intensity and focus. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity, very poise yet powerful with a multi-layered finish that just lacquers the mouth. It probably needs another 5-6 years in bottle, but what a wine. Stunning. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. (NM)  (6/2021)

 Barrel sample. Big and powerful, structured, with bitter chocolate and blackberry flavors. The wine is dense, the fruit enormous. But it does manage to keep freshness. (RV)  (8/2010)

 Features plenty of flash and sizzle, with gorgeous, inviting mocha, espresso and chocolate notes up front, backed by a dense core of plum sauce, cassis, blackberry puree and blueberry reduction accents. Long, showing terrific polish, with a lovely lingering loam note and a buried singed apple wood edge that keeps everything driving through the finish. (JM)  (3/2013)

 This is a rich, powerful, concentrated and well-structured wine, but in comparison to recent vintages (from 2014) this comes off slightly heavy on the mid-palate. However, I love the balance at the ripe and generous finish.  (3/2019)

About the winery

Saint Julien may not have any first growths, but if we forget about ranking and focus on quality, Château Ducru Beaucaillou is a perfect ambassador for the appellation. Created at the end of the 17th century, the property quickly demonstrated a capacity to produce fine wines. A century later, when mildew was destroying many of Bordeaux's vineyards, Ducru Beaucaillou managed to escape thanks to a new treatment discovered by the château's steward: the famous bouillie bordelaise (Bordeaux mixture) consisting of copper sulphate and lime, which is still used today. However, as it was popular in America, the property suffered greatly during prohibition, which deprived it of many customers. In 1941, Ducru Beaucaillou was bought by Francis Borie, who renovated the winery and replanted the vineyard. The property is still skilfully managed by the Borie family, who have managed to maintain the exceptional quality of the production.

The considerable presence of cailloux (pebbles) in the vineyard's soil, which is of course the origin of the château's name, contributes greatly to the wine's quality.