Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2020

A silky and refined fine red wine from Saint-Julien

The estate

An iconic Saint-Julien Cru Classé, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou oversees a prestigious terroir. In the past 300 years, six families have worked ceaselessly to elevate this estate to the international reputation it enjoys today. A property of the Borie family since 1941, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou takes its name from its terroir of “beautiful pebbles” made up of Gunzian gravel. Under the leadership of Bruno Borie, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou has become one of the greatest red wines of Saint-Julien. Vintage after vintage, the estate’s wines have delighted fans of the Médoc around the world.

The vineyard

A particularity of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is the exceptional quality of its vineyard planted on Bordeaux's Left Bank. The vines are planted in Günzian and Pyrenean gravel soils deposited by the Gironde estuary nearly two million years ago. From these poor soils, exceptional wines are born.

The wine

For the 2020 vintage, the Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is adorned with a new label celebrating the 300th anniversary of this esteemed Saint-Julien estate.

The vintage

A mild winter advanced early bud break. The flowering in May and rapid, even fruit set also occurred early. Spring was marked by frost at the end of March, hail in mid-April and significant mildew pressure in early June. Günzian gravel soils provided adequate drainage during the heavy storms in late April and early June.

While the summer conditions were hot and dry, the reserves in the subsoil provided the entire vineyard with sufficient nourishment. The rain that began on August 15 helped the fruit reach optimal ripeness. Rainy nights helped maintain cool temperatures, thus preserving the bright acidity of the fruit and developing the aromatic richness of the grapes. The proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde estuary regulates the hot weather and contributes to the excellent health of the vineyard.

The alternation in September of cool nights and sunny days helped refined the ripening of the grapes under the best conditions. A peak in temperatures before the harvest refined the concentration of the berries. Despite lower yields than in recent years, the harvest was of high quality, yielding grapes with thick, rich, colorful skins and very elegant tannins.

Winemaking and ageing

Ageing lasted 18 months, exclusively in new French oak barrels. Ullage was carried out regularly during the first six months of ageing, as well as "à l'esquive" rackings every three months, for a total of seven rackings during the ageing process.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (81%)
Merlot (19%).

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2020

Tasting

Colour
The colour has alluring depth.

Nose
The nose unveils a rich aromatic palette, made up of black fruit, spice and flower scents with mineral and graphite notes.

Palate
Precise and full-bodied, the palate entices with its tight framework, structured tannins, silky touch and exceptional freshness. The palate marks its elegance throughout the tasting, until an aromatic and lasting finish. A great vintage continuing on from 2018 and 2019.