| Tasting note |
Fabulous aromas of crushed berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants, not to mention spices. Wet earth and cedar, too. Complex. Full-bodied, yet agile and complete. A dense center palate. Ultra-round tannins. Everything in the right balance. Wonderful to taste but better to drink in 2022. By James Suckling, Feb 2017.
We are now in the realm of truly young wines, and also in the realm of Ducru just totally hitting its stride and celebrating it potential. This is young and inky in colour, fresh with plenty of St Julien signature: real menthol freshness and cigar box seduction - great Cabernet flavours. This is barely getting going and is a wine that you want to know what happens next. Excellent stuff, spicy, powerful and juicy. 100% new oak. By Jane Anson @ Decanter, Sep 2019.
The 2014 Ducru Beaucaillou showed extremely well when I tasted it with Bruno Borie during en primeur. Now in bottle, it delivers on that promise with beautifully defined blackberry and raspberry fruit infused with cedar and pencil box aromas. Quintessentially Saint Julien. The palate is very well defined with fine tannin, pitch-perfect acidity, a palpable sense of energy and frisson from start to finish that delivers plenty of tobacco-infused fruit. It is not the perfection-flirting legend that I have read elsewhere; it is just a damn good Saint Julien that is going to drink beautifully over the next 25 to 30 years. By Neal Martin @ Wine Advocate, Mar 2017.
This powerful wine has a superb mix of the crispest fruit and great structure. Blackberries and black currants shine through the tannins, expressing the liveliness of the vintage. It is so well delineated with everything in its place. The wine is certainly going to age for decades. Drink from 2027. By Roger Voss @ Wine Enthusiast, Apr 2017.
I just love the style of this estate and the 2014 Ducru-Beaucaillou is an undeniable success in the vintage. Made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot brought up in 100% new French oak, it offers a deep purple color as well as both elegance and power in its crème de cassis, raspberries, cedarwood, graphite, and floral bouquet, with its background oak smothered in fruit. Possessing a classic elegance, full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and stunning length, it one of the wines of the vintage and will drink nicely for another two to three decades. By Jeb Dunnuck, Nov 2017.
One of the more powerful wines for the year, the 2014 Ducru-Beaucaillou surprises with its sheer concentration. A blast of dark cherry, crème de cassis, mocha, spice and chocolate makes a strong opening statement. Super-ripe, voluptuous and opulent, the wine possesses off-the-charts depth and richness. Ducru remains the most opulent and flamboyant of the 2014 Saint-Juliens. While some 2014s have faded a bit over the last two years, Ducru has barely budged. I imagine it will be many years before the 2014 starts drinking well. Proprietor Bruno Borie gave it 18 months in 100 % new French oak. By Antonio Galloni @ Vinous, Feb 2017. |
