Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou "La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou" Saint Julien 2015
(Bordeaux, France) - [WE 94] [DM 93] [WA 91-93] [WS 91]

About the Winery:
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou owes its name to its "beautiful pebbles" ("beaux Cailloux", in French) that geologists refer to less romantically as Gunzian gravel. These quartz pebbles were deposited by the ancient Garonne at the beginning of the early Quaternary period, some two million years ago. It suffices to take a walk through the vineyards to make rich lithological finds. Lydian jasper from the Pyrenees, flint, quartz, agatoids... These Gunzian gravels make for soils that are poor in plant nutrients. But it is their very agrological paucity that guarantees the qualitative excellence of the wines. A choice of nature.

About the Wine:
The wines of La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou come from the vineyard of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. This exceptional Médoc terroir is situated between the Gironde River to the east, the centre and the west of the Saint-Julien appellation. The estate owes its name to its “beautiful pebbles” ("beaux cailloux", in French) which, because of their high quartz content, make for soils that are poor in plant nutrients. 

It is precisely this “agrological” paucity, as the late Bordeaux professor and geographer, René Pijassou, described it, that makes them so well-suited to the production of fine wine. In the east, the plots are planted along the rolling Médoc ridges, just above the estuary, while those at the epicentre benefit from a microclimate nurtured by the little La Mouline stream that meanders through the middle of the appellation from west to east before disappearing into the Gironde.

La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is an original expression of the terroirs of Ducru-Beaucaillou, a blend that is one of a kind. Ducru-Beaucaillou’s elitist approach is fully at work here. As is a passion, that of a team dedicated to excellence. 

A high-flying wine that perfectly expresses its terroir of exception. This wine blends a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (around 60% each year), completed with Merlot Noir (35% to 37%) as well as a subtly spicy touch of Petit Verdot (3% to 5%).

Powerful, silky, very aromatic, La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou beguiles with its bouquet, its balance, its remarkable finesse and its lengthy finish. A great cuvée that stimulates, then captivates the senses; it is the perfect introduction to the Borie signature.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"This wine, from a selected parcel of the Ducru-Beaucaillou vineyard, is packed with both tannins and great fruit. Its structure promises aging while its concentration and black fruits are already impressive. This is a rich wine but one that has the classic elegance of Saint-Julien." - Roger Voss (April 2018)

93 Points - Decanter Magazine: 
"I love the coffee edge here that gives a gorgeous smoky quality to the palate - something that was also apparent in the Lalande Borie 2015, although with a lighter construction than in this rippling and concentrated wine. It has a fluidity and elegance that I thoroughly recommend. Extremely enjoyable and getting ready to drink." - Jane Anson (Sep 2019)

91-93 Points - Wine Advocate: 
"The 2015 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. It has a floral note on the nose: small black cherries, blueberry and wilted violets, the last becoming more intense as the initially tight-fisted wine opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin. There is very well-judged acidity and its texture is harmonious and silky smooth. The quality is loaded more in the mouth than on the nose at the moment, but it is a seriously classy "deuxième vin" that just needs a little more persistence on the finish." - Neal Martin (Apr 216)

91 Points - Wine Spectator: 
"An alluring, seductive style, with mulled fig and boysenberry fruit carried by velvety structure, while singed mesquite, Lapsang souchong tea and warm ganache notes hang in the background. Everything meshes nicely through the smoldering finish, which has latent grip. Best from 2020 through 2032." - JM (Mar 2018)