CHATEAU DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU 2eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 1970 Bottle

Description

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, a prestigious estate in St-Julien, is renowned for its exceptional wines. The 1970 vintage exemplifies this legacy, receiving notable acclaim, including 91 points from The Wine Advocate and 90 points from both Vinous and Decanter. With a medium brown hue and a touch of brick, the nose presents a fragrant bouquet of dried figs, sultana cake, and baking spices, alongside hints of dusty soil and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied yet powerful, showcasing flavours of dried red berries and a mineral freshness, framed by chewy tannins and a spicy finish. Decanter emphasises its classic notes of black fruits and tobacco, making this vintage a remarkable choice that has aged gracefully and is best enjoyed from 2022 onwards.

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Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a St-Julien property that today is one of the leading Super Seconds. It is owned by the Borie family and is situated in the south-east of the St-Julien appellation. Ducru-Beaucaillou's 50 hectares of vineyards (Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 25%, Cabernet Franc 5% and Petit Verdot 5%) lie on deep, large-stone gravel beds enriched with alluvial soil deposits and with a high clay content. The wines are matured in oak barriques (50-60% new) for 18 months.

For many, Ducru-Beaucaillou is the quintessential St-Julien - deep-coloured, powerful, ripe, exquisitely well-balanced and perfectly harmonious. It requires a minimum of 10 years of bottle ageing before it should be approached and the best vintages will continue improving for many more years. Ducru-Beaucaillou is classified as a 2ème Cru Classé.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 91 points
Drink Date 2020 - 2030
Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Issue Date 13th Aug 2020, Source August 2020 Week 2, The Wine Advocate
"1970 was a generous vintage, and back then, when it was generous, we let it be generous!" Proprietor Bruno Borie informed me during the tasting of this 1970 Ducru-Beaucaillou at the chateau. Medium brown in color with a remaining touch of brick, the nose reveals a wonderfully fragrant perfume of dried figs, sultana cake and baking spices with hints of dusty soil, dried herbs plus a subtle waft of crushed rocks. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers bold freshness, laden with dried red berries flavors and mineral-inspired sparks, framed by chewy tannins, finishing spicy.

VINOUS 90 points
Drinking Window 2021 - 2030
From: Where the Heart Is: Ducru-Beaucaillou 1934-2018 (Jul 2022)
The 1970 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I tasted regularly about twenty years ago - always a strong performer even if it did not deliver fireworks. At over half a century, it has not lost a bit of vigour, but there are lovely scents of clove, liquorice and a touch of furniture polish combining with the remnant of black fruit. The palate is well defined with fine tannins, crisp acidity, quite harmonious. Quite peppery on the aftertaste, it is a Ducru-Beaucaillou that is entering its dotage after a fine career. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. - By Neal Martin on June 2021

DECANTER 90 points
Tasted by: Yohan Castaing
(at Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, 01 Jun 2021)
Part of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou vertical tasting: 1953-2018
Drinking Window: 2022 - 2022
The Ducru-Beaucaillou 1970 has a classic, elegant, and complex bouquet with notes of black fruits, tobacco, undergrowth, damp cellar, and earth with a hint of liquorice and smoke, followed by a medium-bodied, fresh, fleshy, and vibrant palate. The final is long and elegant with blackcurrant aromas.