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Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou

What is it about Ducru-Beaucaillou that seems to captivate some Bordeaux acolytes, and yet distance others? I know some who consider it to be their desert-island claret, who wax lyrical about their favourite bottles, and who hoard them in anticipation of special meals and special evenings, when they will be free of disruption, free of distraction, and free to lose themselves in the wine. I also know some who find the wine utterly unappealing, and wish themselves not so much free of such distractions, it is more that they wish to be free of Ducru altogether. It certainly has an elegant style, perhaps accentuated over the last couple of decades, that demands attention. One man's elegant is another's lack of substance I suppose. My encounters with the estate have, however, largely been positive, although they have sadly not been as often as I would like.

The Arrival of Ducru

The origin of the Ducru-Beaucaillou vineyards may be traced back to the 17th century, when they were once part of a much larger property, Beychevelle. The seeds that grew into Ducru-Beaucaillou and also Branaire-Ducru were sown in 1642 when, following the death of Beychevelle's proprietor Bernard de Valette, otherwise known as the Duc d'Epernon, the property was sold off in order to settle his not inconsiderable debts. This act led to the parcellation of the estate, and although some of the vineyards were gathered together again by the subsequent owners of Beychevelle, some were destined to remain separate. One part was purchased by Jean-Baptiste Braneyre in 1680, and that is the Branaire-Ducru of today. A second part, very near the Gironde, was to be what we know today as Ducru-Beaucaillou.

By the latter years of the 18th century the land was in the hands of a gentleman by the name of Bergeron, and the wine was sold as such, although the estate was known as Maucaillou, allegedly derived from mauvaise and cailloux (literally 'bad pebbles'), a reference to the difficult, stony ground and perhaps even the lesser quality of the wine. It may be that it was the realisation, under the tenure of Bergeron, that the wine was in fact of good quality and the pebbles were perhaps not being so difficult after all that Maucaillou became Beaucaillou, beau an obviously much more positive and therefore appealing term. Following the change in name, however, there also came a change of hands; in 1795 Bergeron died, and the chateau was acquired by a new proprietor, Bertrand Ducru. Hence the estate became known as Ducru-Beaucaillou, the name by which it is still known today.

Ducru, Dassier & Johnston

With his tenure the quality continued to improve and prices gradually climbed. He and his wife Marie had two offspring; Gustave, who married a wealthy widow, and Marie-Louise, who was wedded to Antoine Ravez, the son of a local, influential politician. Upon the death of Bertrand in 1829, the two children inherited the estate, and they ran it jointly for just over thirty years. In this time Gustave renovated the vineyards, and was responsible for the construction of much of the chateau (pictured above and below) as it stands today, including the barrel cellars which lie directly beneath it, an unusual arrangement for the Médoc. As the end of their tenure drew near the siblings witnessed the drawing up of the 1855 classification, and almost certainly as a result of the efforts of Gustave and his sister the estate was highly ranked, ending up alongside the Léoville properties (Barton, Las-Cases and Poyferré) and Gruaud-Larose, as one of the five deuxièmes crus of St Julien.

Perhaps bolstered by their success Gustave purchased Branaire-Ducru from his cousins in 1857, ceding control of Ducru-Beaucaillou to his sister in 1860. Perhaps the task was just too much for her though, as just six years later she sold it on, the new owner being Lucie-Caroline Dassier. Dassier was the spouse of the merchant Nathanial Johnston, who had inherited the company set up by his ancestor William Johnston, an immigrant of Scottish-Irish origin. Although the estate had been purchased by his wife, using her own money, such a prestigious and highly ranked chateau quickly became the jewel in the Johnston crown. He even tried to simplify the name to Beaucaillou, removing any association with the prior owners, but permission was refused.

Johnston's Bordeaux Mixture

Through the latter years of the 19th century, the Ducru wines remained popular and as with the Ducru family Johnston's tenure was a success. There were difficult times to follow, however, starting with phylloxera and then the mildew epidemic, two probably inter-related disasters that swept through the vineyards of France at this time. In fact Ducru-Beaucaillou played a startlingly important role in the discovery of a solution to mildew, thanks to an anti-theft deterrent employed by the manager, Ernest David. This vibrantly coloured paint of copper sulphate and lime not only stayed pilfering hands, it also proved to be effective prophylaxis against the new disease. Thus Bordeaux Mixture was discovered, the substance subsequently tested and proved to be effective in the Dauzac vineyards; there is much more detail on this serendipitous discovery in my profile of Chateau Dauzac.

As the 19th century drew to a close Nathaniel Johnston was enjoying his tenure at Ducru-Beaucaillou, investing in the local community with the construction of a church, hospice and nursery, and also investing in his vineyard and estate of course. Following the death of his wife he remarried, this time to Marie Caradja of Constantinople, the daughter of Prince Constantine of Turkey. In her honour he augmented and refurbished the chateau, with the assistance of Michel-Louis Garros, a renowned architect and graduate of the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. The most notable additions were two towers at either end of the chateau, but there were also two new wings, a conservatory and newly landscaped gardens leading down to the Gironde. Ducru-Beaucaillou thus became a notable landmark.

The Borie Family at Beaucaillou

Tragically, bad times followed the good, and what success the Johnstons had enjoyed was insufficient to provide continued security in these trying times, compounded as they were by depression and war. In 1929 the couple were forced to sell the estate, this time to a wine merchant named Desbarats. But he had no more success than the Johnstons, and little more than a decade later the property was on the market again following his death. It was the Borie family that became, in 1941, the new owners of a very dilapidated estate. Francis Borie took on the monumental task of renovation, and by the 1950s there were tangible results. The work was continued after his death by his son, Jean-Eugène, who steered through the property through the second half of the 20th century.

Jean-Eugène augmented the estate, adding a remarkable 32 hectares of vines purchased from the owners of neighbouring Chateau Lagrange, although to this day the fruit from this land is handled and bottled under a separate label, even though Borie would have been quite entitled to include it within Ducru-Beaucaillou. Things were going well in the vineyards then, although it is worth noting that success was not so easy to come by in the cellars. Under Jean-Eugène Ducru-Beaucaillou was beset by problems with contamination, particularly during the 1980s, firstly from an insect repellent sprayed in one of the barrel storage areas (which they stopped using as a result), secondly with a large batch of substandard corks. With both of these problems long since remedied, however, in recent vintages Ducru-Beaucaillou - still under the control of the Borie family - has been moving forward in leaps and bounds. This is reflected by extensive investment and refurbishment at the estate, with new cellars adjacent to the chateau perhaps being the most palpable evidence of this. With 1995 there also came the creation of a second wine, thereby ameliorating quality in the grand vin, which in this vintage was anointed by the Wine Spectator with the number one spot in its influential Top 100 list in 1998, a real coup after the estate's lacklustre performance during the preceding decade.

In 1998 Jean-Eugène died, yielding control of Ducru-Beaucaillou to his son François-Xavier, who held onto the reins for only five years before, in a surprise move in 2003, ceding the running of the estate to his younger brother Bruno. It is Bruno who remains in charge today, whilst François-Xavier left to focus on the family's other estates, Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Haut-Batailley.

Vineyards

The vineyards at Ducru run almost down to the Gironde, lying between those of parent Beychevelle to the north and Latour, in the commune of Pauillac, to the south. All told there are 215 hectares, largely characterised by typical, deep Gunzian gravel and the aforementioned cailloux, the large pebbles that gave the estate its name. Not all of the estate is planted to vines, and of note is the fact that not all the vines are destined for the grand vin, Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, or even La Croix de Beaucaillou, the second wine which as mentioned above was introduced in 1995. The vines Francis Borie purchased from Lagrange in 1970 do not yield fruit thought to be of Beaucaillou quality, and these have always been bottled as Lalande-Borie, not a second or even third label, but rather a distinct wine from the same vineyard, year-in, year-out.

Thus there are in fact only 75 hectares of Ducru vineyards, of which approximately half lie around the chateau, most of the rest lie further inland within the St Julien commune, bordering those of Gruaud-Larose and Talbot. The vines are 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot - there was once also Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot but these vines have presumably been uprooted - with an average vine age of 35 years, planted at a density of 10000 vines/ha. The harvest is manual, and the fruit passes over a sorting table before destemming, pressing and fermentation in stainless steel under temperature-controlled conditions. The process takes about two weeks, with frequency of pumping over and exact temperature tailored to each individual vat. Once finished they will be left to macerate for a week, and then the finished wines, including some batches of press wine, will be assessed before undergoing malolactic fermentation in concrete vats. It then goes into wood, those batches marked for the grand vin seeing between 18 and 20 months in 50-80% new oak. Those wines not suitable for the second wine will be sold off. After eighteen months in oak the wines are fined using egg white and then bottled.

Ducru Opinion

As I expounded in my introduction, my experience with the wines of Ducru-Beaucaillou has generally been positive, having tasted a small number of recent and moderately mature vintages. Most recently I have found the 1998 to be really very good, particularly in the context of the vintage; it was convincing enough for me to add some to the cellar, at the right price. I have happily done the same with other recent vintages, including the 2002 and 2004; neither year is likely to be accused of greatness, but these are just the type of vintages when a property such as Ducru-Beaucaillou can excel.

I once wrote that I did not think Ducru to be my desert-island wine, and would not even be my first choice within the St Julien commune; perhaps that is still true, although it should be noted that I wrote that before tasting the 2009. It has set a new benchmarks for the estate in terms of quality, I suspect longevity also, and most certainly pricing, this being the most expensive release of Ducru-Beaucaillou ever. A prodigious effort, rich and dark, infused with tannins piled upon tannins, the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a wine which will be enjoyed by our grandchildren, but perhaps also by ourselves if we are fortunate to live long enough. If my desert island comes complete with the typical climate so favourable to human longevity, then maybe this most recent of vintages is the wine for me after all. After all, desert-island dreams are, in all honesty, probably the only way I can afford a bottle.

Looking back to more mature vintages, the wines are certainly admirable, and the quality is certainly there. Older vintages from the 1980s which I have tasted still show the class of the wine with clarity, despite this being the darkest time for this estate in terms of quality (which has frequently been noted to be very variable from bottle to bottle, so its no real surprise that I found some good ones). With good vintages both young and maturing, I will be savouring every opportunity I have with Ducru-Beaucaillou. (16/2/07, updated 1/7/10)

Contact details:
Address: Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, 33250 St-Julien-Beychevelle
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 73 16 73
Fax +33 (0) 5 56 59 27 37
Internet: www.chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou - Tasting Notes

I include here not only my notes on the grand vin and second wine, but also those for the associated estate Lalande-Borie. Click to locate stockists.

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien) 2009: Cabernet Sauvignon 85%, Merlot 15%, 90% new oak, alcohol 13.5%. Glorious colour, dark and glossy, very concentrated hue with a vibrant purple rim. The nose has similar concentration, dense fruit, all creamy cherry and smoky blackcurrant. A very pure start on the palate, more restrained than I expected, with a burgeoning wall of tannin coming through the middle. This is immensely structured, but those tannins although broad and powerful are ripe with a velvety finish. A ton of velvet, maybe, but the point still stands. Concentrated fruit, great substance. Long and impressive. A great wine which needs to be laid down for twenty years, and then maybe another ten after that. Monumental. For your grandchildren. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 18.5-19.5+/20 (March 2010)

La Croix de Beaucaillou (St Julien) 2009: The second wine of Ducru-Beaucaillou. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 12 months in barrel, 60% new oak. Alcohol 13.4%. A very different nose to the Lalande-Borie and Petit Caillou. Much more elegance here, reserved and with some good stony fruit. Pure, stylish fruit. Lovely style on the palate, very full and creamy, but with a fine frame around it. Very stylish backbone, a great bolus of tannins in the midpalate and finish, although sitting very well with the rest of the wine. Quite long although with some pepper spice here. Impressive and bold. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 16.5-17.5+/20 (March 2010)

Le Petit Caillou (St Julien) 2009: A private bottling from Ducru-Beaucaillou for a small number of Bordeaux négociants. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol 13.5%, 30% new oak. A rather reserved nose, dusty fruit. Sweetly composed plate, nice substance, fresh, good acidity. Good spicy backbone, a nice wine overall. Good although straightforward. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 15-16+/20 (March 2010)

Chateau Lalande-Borie (St Julien) 2009: Another wine shown at Ducru-Beaucaillou. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. 30% new oak. Glossy and bright hue. Dark and spiced fruit on the nose here, mulberry and pepper, reserved and a touch earthy-savoury. Fairly supple at the start, dusty but not dry, good ripe and sweet fruit. Nice substance. Quite well hidden acidity and a supple, vin de plaisir style. Good but not exciting. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 15-16+/20 (March 2010)

Chateau Lalande-Borie (St Julien) 2001: Youthful hue, good concentration, thin pink rim. Smoky black cherry nose, with a sweet, honey-roast nut sideline. Lovely presence of fruit, again dominated by black cherry, with a very slightly creamy mouthfeel. A seam of tangible extract, medium body, a gentle presence of ripe tannin to give a little backbone, and good acidity. Flows across the palate. This is very good. For drinking now and over the next five years. 17/20 (June 2005)

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien) 1998: Fantastic and focused on the nose, with lots of firm yet elegant fruit. The palate has elegance, structure, with nicely extracted stony and mineral fruit. There are plenty of peppery tannins in the background. This will be a superb wine. From an Oddbins tasting. 16.5+/20 (November 2001)

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien) 1997: Good nose, classic, slightly gravelly, slightly hard. Soft, moderate weight, on the lean side if anything. Integrated tannin. Correct acidity. Gravelly fruit. Classic style, but it lacks impact, richness, and the complexity of a truly mature wine. Ready now. 16/20 (May 2005)

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien) 1995: Early maturity with this wine, which was a turnaround vintage for the estate. Some emerging maturity in terms of aroma, with iron and tea leaves on the nose, backed up by intense, concentrated, tightly bound fruit. Firm substance on the palate, very tight still, supple but weighty and clearly, despite the positive notes on the nose, this is a wine that needs yet more time. Firm texture, meaty and spicy fruit, giving glimpses of what the future holds, but all still very tightly coiled up at present. Great potential here. Tasted over dinner in Bordeaux. 18+/20 (March 2010)

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien) 1988: A deep, dark, brooding red. Lovely black fruit, cream and vanilla nose. On the palate excellent complexity, with nuances of cream, bacon fat and raspberry fruit. Full bodied, nicely textured with excellent poise. Finishes with more of that raspberry fruit, and tremendous length. From a Bordeaux 1988 blind horizontal tasting. 18.5/20 (May 2000)

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien) 1983: Deep, earthy, mature hue. Meaty, earthy, caramel and treacle, and burnt wood on the nose, with ripe macerated fruit. Pure and delightful, even seductive nose. Full, stylish palate. Very elegant, although not a voluptuous feel. Some really firm tannins behind the body, but it still has a warm ripe feel and good balance. I like it. Should drink well for a few years yet. From a Bordeaux 1983 tasting. 17/20 (February 2005)