Ducru Beaucaillou: Terroir, Best Wines, Prices (2024)

Want to explore the beautiful Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou and its classic red wines?

The iconic Victorian-style Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou produces some of the finest wines in Bordeaux. This classic St-Julien wine is classified as one of the 15 Second-Growth wines (Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe) in the 1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification.

What makes Ducru Beaucaillou special, and which are the best wines?

Let’s explore all about the beautiful Ducru Beaucaillou's vineyards, history, terroir, and The Best Ducru Beaucaillou Wines To Buy In 2024. Also, we’ll reveal a Hassle-Free Way Of Investing In Fine Wines.

The Emblematic Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou is situated near the scenic Gironde estuary in the Saint Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France. The Chateau is symbolic of the history of Medoc winemaking, which dates back to the 13th century.

The Chateau is owned by the Borie family, who live on the estate premises.

The name of the estate “Beau Caillou'' comes from the French word for “beautiful stones,” which are part of the Saint Julien exceptional terroir.

The Ducru-Beaucaillou Chateau produces three signature wine styles:

• Ducru-Beaucaillou: This is the Grand Vin of Ducru Beaucaillou and it is a refined blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and grapes.
• La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou: The second wine of this Chateau consists of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot grape varietals.
• Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou: This is a classic that typically consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In some vintages, it has a small percentage of Petit Verdot grapes as well.

So, how did Ducru Beaucaillou come into existence?

A Brief History of Ducru Beaucaillou

Through the centuries, Ducru Beaucaillou has been owned by five different families:

• In 1720, the Chateau was bought by the Bergeron family.
• After the French Revolution, in 1795, the Chateau was bought by Bernard Ducru, who renovated the building and its cellar.
• In 1866 the Saint Julien property and vineyard got into the hands of the Johnston family. They improved the Chateau exterior, and added the iconic Victorian-style towers and a beautiful park near the Gironde river.
• From the beginning of the economic crisis in 1929 until the beginning of World War II, the Chateau was a property of the Desbarat family.
• In 1941, the land was sold to Francis Borie, who used to manage some other winemaking properties in the estate was passed to the next generations of the Borie family and they managed it for more than half a century.

From 1978 to 2003, the winery was managed by Francois Xavier Borie.

In the late 1980s, the Chateau experienced a few problematic vintages that developed cork taint.

• Since 2003, the estate has been managed by the proprietor Bruno Borie. The Chateau has enjoyed its most successful vintages under Bruno Borie’s ownership.

‍Next, let’s take a peek at the beautiful Ducru Beaucaillou's vineyards.

Viticulture at Ducru Beaucaillou

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou has 75 hectares of vineyards in the southeast part of the Saint Julien appellation and another 16 hectares on the Haut Medoc communal terroir.

The St. Julien vineyard soil is a mix of marl, large stones, and gravel. The unique pebbles known as Gunz gravel is the secret to the perfection of the Ducru Beaucaillou wines. The large stones affect the vines in a few ways. They:

• Provide good water drainage but also retain some moisture during the hot summer days.
• Retain the heat from the sun during the day and give it out to the vines during the night, helping the grapes ripen.
• Stimulate the root system development of the vines. Thanks to the gravel, there’s less nutritious soil on the surface. So the vines develop stronger root systems to penetrate deeper and reach the more nutritious soil deposits, resulting in a wine with extraordinary complexity and elegance.  

The proximity to the Gironde estuary also gives the vines good humidity levels and protects them from harsh winter and hot summer temperatures.

The vineyards are planted with about 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot grapes. (There used to be small parcels planted with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, but they were uprooted in the 1990s.)

The average vine age is 40 years, but some older vine plantings are over a century old. The average density is 10,000 vines per hectare.

Since 2018, the Chateau has managed to incorporate 100% biofarming techniques.

Ducru Beaucaillou Winemaking

The winemakers at Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou follow a well-defined vinification process with meticulous precision:

• Harvesting: In the vineyard, the healthy grapes are separated from the unhealthy ones. Then they’re transported to the underground barrel cellars, where they go through optical sorting, which ensures only the flawless grapes make it into the cuvee.
• Fermentation: The grapes go through plot-by-plot fermentation in separate stainless steel vats. During the two-week fermentation, pumping over is performed regularly at a controlled temperature.
• Malolactic fermentation: Then, the grapes are moved into concrete vats and they undergo malolactic fermentation.
• Aging: The aging time is 18 months in 90% new French oak barrels for the Grand Vin wine and about 12 months in 70% new oak barrels for the second wine.

From around 16,000 cases a year in 2002, Bruno Borie reduced the production quantity by half (approximately 8,000 cases today) to focus on quality over quantity.

Best Ducru Beaucaillou Bottles to Buy in 2024

We’ve handpicked some of the most exquisite Ducru Beaucaillou wines for you:

1. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1925

This older vintage of Ducru Beaucaillou Cabernet blend is a rare collectible. The wine has preserved its delicate tasting notes of cassis and major black fruit flavors, which are accompanied by concentrated cigar box aromas and a gentle but long-lasting finish.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1925: $2,856

2. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1945

Here we have an exceptional red wine that delights with silky tannins and an elegant floral note. There are distinct creme de cassis and fruit tasting notes complemented by a graphite edge and licorice hints on the palate.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1945: $1,191

3. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1953

This fine wine surprises with intense tannins and delightful acidity. The red fruit and candied violets aroma transitions into an intense spice and blue fruit palate.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1953: $3,565

4. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1961

This well-preserved vintage offers a flavorful bouquet of dark fruit and black currant on the palate. This great wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The beautiful fruit tasting notes combine well with a nose of mossy bark, coffee, and cigar box.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1961: $1,008

5. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1970

This fine Cabernet wine from the 1970 vintage has a seductive purple-black color and a palate of cassis, black fruit, and plum preserves. The wine is full-bodied with layers of blue fruit, black currant, and licorice aromas.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1970: $631

6. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1982

Here we have a masterpiece red wine with intense tannins, pleasant acidity, and silky finesse. The aroma of vanilla, dark fruit, and candied violets prepares you for the more intense flavors of currant, red fruit, and cassis.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1982: $475

7. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2009

This great wine from the more recent vintages will surprise you with its unique expression of terroir and the perfect balance of elegance and intensity. The opulent floral bouquet is followed by mild tannin levels and concentrated creme de cassis, tobacco, black currant, and graphite tasting notes.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2009: $431

8. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010

Here we have another breathtaking Cabernet vintage with medium tannin levels, a nose of candied violet, and a floral note. On the palate, expect black fruit and cassis that transition into a pleasant, long-lasting finish.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010: $314

9. Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 'La Croix de Beaucaillou' 2010

This elegant wine surprises with major black fruit flavors and hazelnut and earth aromas. The wine has silky tannins and gentle pepper and oak barrel undertones.

Price of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 'La Croix de Beaucaillou' 2010: $78

10. Le Petit Ducru - Chateau Lalande-Borie 2000

This fine wine showcases finesse, intense tannins, a silky mouthfeel, and a refined structure. The delicate nose of mushrooms, red currant, and mossy bark develop into juicy black fruit, plum, and chocolate tasting notes.

Price of Le Petit Ducru - Chateau Lalande-Borie 2000: $120

Next, let’s see Ducru Beaucaillou’s investing potential.

Is Ducru Beaucaillou a Good Investment Wine?

The Ducru Beaucaillou Second Growth Cru wines have good longevity of at least 10-20 years. The most recent vintages have been a huge success, and the 2009 vintage received a perfect 100 score review from Robert Parker.

Ducru Beaucaillou also shows stable pricing with occasional price increases. For example, between 2019 and 2021:

• Le Petit Ducru - Chateau Lalande-Borie 2000 enjoyed a 90% growth from $52 to $99.
• Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 2013 appreciated by 13% from $128 to $145.

At auctions, Ducru Beaucaillou has also shown great potential:

• At an auction in China, a Melchior bottle of Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 2009 sold for over $11,000.
• At a Sotheby’s auction in 2020, 12 bottles of Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 1982 sold for $4,361.

But is there an easier way to get a bottle of Ducru Beaucaillou for your wine collection without having to look out for the next auction?

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Ducru Beaucaillou - One of the Finest Bordeaux Wines

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou produces some of the most elegant Bordeaux blends. It's a perfect example of traditional winemaking mastery that unravels the secrets of one of the best Bordeaux terroirs.

Buying a bottle of Ducru Beaucaillou is a great choice for any wine enthusiast. To ensure you get the best vintage at the best possible price in a hassle-free way, you can use Vinovest.

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