La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien

Decanted: 2 hours, seems closed, shut down. 89 6 hours, much better, but still not as expressive as other vintages of this wine. 90-91 Day 2: 91- almost 92. Of the three I’ve had, I would say 2016 and 2014 are better at this point. With 2016 being my favorite.

2020 vintage

She pours very dark almost blackish with abundant aromatics consisting of brambly berry medley of reds, blues and blacks, grilled rib eye, a pinch of aged citrus and a side of graham cracker. Very rich, chewy density with firm, loosely knit tannins, add graphite, wet earth and reduced cassis. Long fruit finish leaves a nice parchment creating an interesting situation where I want to keep coming back for more. Love the tannin/fruit banter. Nice balance for such a big wine. …

2020 vintage

Plummy, vanilla, cassis, cedar, big flavor without feeling heavy. A tiny bit of heat on the backend. Lovely stuff, ready to go.

2014 vintage

On opening: 89 90 minutes: 91 Two hours: magic: 93-94

2014 vintage

Last bottle of this, and thankfully it was much better than the previous bottle which in hindsight was clearly a dud. This took a few hours to open up and was best on the second night, with aromas/flavors similar to the last good bottle (cassis, blueberries and blackberries with a hint of dark licorice), although the nose was more expressive this time (on the second night, at least).

2015 vintage

Dekantert. Småpen vin som drkker godt. Balanse.

2015 vintage

Cassis, roses, and violets with an olive tapenade nuance on the expressive nose. The palate is supple yet energetic, offering blackcurrants and dark cherries, with tobacco, graphite, cedar, and salted chocolate subtleties.

2020 vintage

A lot of reviewers mentioned soft tannins, medium acidity. I actually found my bottle a little bit more tannic than I would want. Besides that, nose of cedar and chocolate, with dark fruit (plum) onthe taste. Was a good wine, but I thought could have used 1-2 more years perhaps

2020 vintage

Dense black fruit, cassis. Dried violets, tobacco, forest floor, leather, graphite. Anise, fennel, black pepper, clove, dark coffee grounds, cocoa. Inky, plush, great fruit conc. Chewy tannin. Great integration of flavours, well balanced, beautifully complex. Showing a fair amount of tertiary development. In a great spot right now.

2014 vintage

Decanted and back into the bottle an hour before - Pours deep, clear purple garnet. Pencil shavings, black plum, blueberry, dark chocolate, violet, a touch of licorice, black cherry, baking spice, and pipe tobacco on the nose. Palate accentuates low toned fruit and baking spice. Dark and brooding, with nice acidity, fairly heavy body, and slightly bristly tannins. Love this now, but this will definitely evolve a bit. My ideal window would probably be something like 2028-2045+. (93+)

2015 vintage

2020 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep opaque ruby-purple color. Cedar wood, chocolate, black fruits and some spice on the nose. Full-bodied. Concentrated and balanced with blackcurrant, mocha, plum, black raspberries and minerals on the palate. Medium+ tannins, medium acidity. Closed now, keep for 3–5 years to shine. Decanting for 2–3 hours can help.

2020 vintage

We started yesterday, open for 60 min, served in Zalto Bordeaux, was left alone for 15 min, served only one glass each, color almost black, nose was very dark berries, some oak, tannins tamed and integrated, taste was long and and multilayered , sealed with the cork and left in the fridge for 24 hours. Next day, nothing happened, wine was like the night before! So my advise is leave it alone for 5 years, slowageing is the way. , …

2020 vintage

nice depth. Frink now to 2032.

2014 vintage

needs to breathe. too young right now? very dark, smells like bordeaux. dry fruity, floral, very good. long, pleasant.

2020 vintage

Dekantert. Kommet til seg selv, balansen på plass, behag både dag 1 og dag 3.

2015 vintage

Tour des Deux Rives Tasting with K&L (Mr. Brainwash Beverly Hills) : A separate plot from Ducru grand vin. I got a more gravelly and dirt vibe even though I think it has distinctly less gravel than the grand vin. Solid showing but doesn't stack up to the grand vin at all.

2015 vintage

very soft tannin, nice dark fruit, dark chocolate nose, nice finish. Not a powerful red that you would have with pizza but a red that can pair with less fatty foods. Maybe a burger

2020 vintage

Dekantert. Vandig frukt, mangler tanniner og syre. Pussige greier. Dag 3 mer avklart, avklart frukt, det samme er tanniner og syre. Klart bedre enn dag 1.

2015 vintage

Unfortunately this bottle was very muted compared to previous ones which we really enjoyed. Must have been slightly flawed, because even after several hours of air there just wasn't much there.

2015 vintage

Amazing wine at this point in its maturation! This has been cellared since 2017 and it has improved steadily over the last 5 years of drinking�we wish we had more, but this is our last bottle. The good news is we still have 2015 & 2016 Bordeaux to work our way through! Cheers!

2014 vintage

Amazing wine at this point in its maturation! This has been cellared since 2017 and it has improved steadily over the last 5 years of drinking…we wish we had more, but this is our last bottle. The good news is we still have 2015 & 2016 Bordeaux to work our way through! Cheers!

2014 vintage

I shared this with my wine group at Merlot vs. Cabernet Sauvignon night. Opened but not decanted for over 2 hours before pouring. This was our final wine of the night and the only one that was an almost even blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. I've not had much luck with Durcru-Beaucaillou, but this second wine was very enjoyable. Medium bodied with a medium+ length finish. Well balanced between fruit, spice and structure.

2015 vintage

Dark red. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes through on the nose and flavours. Eventually this should develop nicely. Hold for a decade.

2020 vintage

Tobacco, blueberry, blackberry, gingerbread . Tannins provide a good structure. In balance. Probably best in the secondary phase. Really enjoyable

2015 vintage

Soft, medium light concentration, elegant, friendly. Nose of tobacco, cassis, cedar. Palate of medium fine soft tannins, medium low acidity which notches up to medium bright acidity in the finish. Interesting and different from what I expected. I like concentration but this is mild and soft...not what I'd normally like, but it has a friendly soft elegance that is appealing. Not exactly my type in concentration and intensity but very appealing in it's own way. 92-93, maybe 94. Will start …

2020 vintage

Consistent with prior note. Even more open and resolved. Great bang for the buck.

2015 vintage

Nose is enticing beyond expectations for a Bordeaux. Entry is juicy, moderately ripe fruit balanced by fruit acid and just right tannin influence. St. Julien full of grace, approaching perfection for drinking today. For pure enjoyment quite a Bordeaux value. Bordeaux fans should feel blessed to live through 2020 and recent vintages.

2020 vintage

Ready to GO! Great wine. Very smooth but firm!!!

2015 vintage

If you can't afford big wines like me, then buy number 2. Much cheaper and not so cheaper in quality. Like this one. If this secondary wine is so good then I can't imagine how great its first choice is. My type of wine. Big load blackcurrant, sweet plum, grippy tannins, live acidity, but everything is in perfect balance and harmony. What else is on my tongue? Red cherry, minerals, vanilla, tobacco ,soft spice. Long finish. The smell. Strong. And …

2014 vintage

Dark fruit and forest floor with a touch of initial barnyard on the nose. Average fruit on the palate. Sweet mild tannins. This wine will not improve with time. Drink and move on to better vintages. 15,16,18 are much better years. Bought the 19,20 and waiting. I am a repeat La Croix fan. Lesson to not buy 2nd wines in so-so or bad years. Buy the good years in bulk.

2017 vintage

Medium full body, minerals, somewhat angular, long.

2015 vintage

Pop n' pour at dinner. There is still some time for this wine to improve. However, it shows great promise and is highly enjoyable. Nose of cigar box and black fruits. Very smooth on the palette.

2015 vintage

mature, dark, solid, round tannins, not much fruit but nice balance.

2020 vintage

Decanted this for an hour; it really opened up and is ready to drink; good fruit and earthy on the palate; rich and medium body; really enjoyed this

2015 vintage

I was sure I had tried this at one time so I’m not sure but apparently I have one more out of 2. Coravin taste a few days ago and at first I was put off as I thought it drank like new world so I assumed too young. A week later I decide to go back to it and drank over 3 days and it was different. St Julien terroir was evident and jammy and tannic turned to dark …

2015 vintage

still too oaky for my tastes. Blows off in an hour or two but it was kind of holding it all together initially. Hold.

2014 vintage

Straight out of bottle. Nose of black fruit, a hint of slate, tobacco and mushroom but also notable truffle aromas. A little more tertiary than I expected for a 2014 but not in a negative way. By contrast the palate is fresh and has good acidic lift. The flavours are more plum and red fruit, with a good spicy finish of medium length. Good to drink now.

2014 vintage

Reminiscent of Ducru. Maybe not quite as complex or structured, but you save yourself $150 and still have a damn good drink. Entering a lovely window too.

2015 vintage

Very nice, strong dark fruit, nice smooth tannins. Dry, no plum or jam.

2020 vintage

This is a beautiful wine! Like the previous note, I found this at Costco and glad I did! This is what I'm looking for in an affordable Bordeaux. While it is an absolute this will improve with a few years under it's belt, I get excited when I don'!t have to wait for 4-5 years to enjoy an affordable and delicious wine. At present darker fruit profile, ample fruit on entry but finish falls off a bit quick so kept …

2020 vintage

Lots of dark fruits: black berries, black currents, black cherries. New leather. Soft tannins, med+acid, full body.

2015 vintage

Obviously this is just a baby, even being a second wine- it's very tightly-wound, compact, tense, and understated at this stage. That said, there's some really beautiful complexity lurking, and I wouldn't call it austere. It's already really beautiful, just extremely shy. There's a precise topnote of fresh brewed coffee and quality dark chocolate, earthy and gently bitter without being "green" at all (which I greatly appreciate), and a lurking undercurrent of high-toned blackberries and red plum (clearly on the …

2020 vintage

Delivered very nicely

2015 vintage

Wow, off the cork pull that is right in the park.

2014 vintage

deep and rich, smooth tannins. Fruit and bouquet secondary to depth. Somewhat astringent, but pleasantly so. Less approachable currently than the 2018 Petit Ducru that is so much fun.

2020 vintage

wonderful

2015 vintage

Very deep garnet with a ruby core, completely clear. BlackBerry and old campfire on the nose with red. Errors laced around the edges. Intense raspberries with smoky elements and black plum skin. Long, lingering sweet tannins. Needs another five years minimum. Delicious.

2017 vintage

Drinking really nicely now with a bit of air time. Dark fruit - cassis, blueberries and blackberries with a hint of dark licorice. Tannins very smooth/silky, nice finish. Need to get some more of this.

2015 vintage

Open for business and already showing some maturity. A combination of black and red fruit built in a more savory style. A touch of smoke on the finish. The mid-palate is leaner than I would like. Decanted for 30 minutes.

2015 vintage

Pop and pour. It's similar to my last bottle a year ago. Aromas of red fruits, ripe black cherries and soft vanilla. The palate is soft medium acidity. Flavors of plum, blackberry, woody notes, vanilla and leather.

2015 vintage

Are you sure?

La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews