Ducru Beaucaillou 2009

The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is pure perfection and a much more sexy, opulent wine compared to the 2010. Crème de cassis, licorice, spice-box, lead pencil shavings and dried flower notes all – literally – soar from the glass of this incredible wine. Full-bodied, layered, expansive and deep, with sweet, sweet tannin and no hard edges, it’s already impossible to resist, yet is going to keep for four to five decades. I think the 2010 will be a longer-lived wine, but I’m not sure it will ever deliver the opulence or hedonistic pleasure of the 2009. Either way, that’s a fun comparison I look forward to having over the coming decades! 2020 - 2060

The nose is deep and complex packed full of cassis and sloes. The richness of the black fruits gives lots of flesh to the mid palate, the suppleness of the palate helped by rounded and ripe tannins. It has power, depth, chocolate richness all beautifully balanced by freshness giving an attractive sleekness on the finish. Drink 2020-2050.

The ludicrous, nightclub-style interior at Ducru led me to expect a wine that was trashy, flashy and meretricious, but I was mistaken. This is certainly oaky, but it has the structure, fruit quality and sumptuous tannins to cope with the barrels. Textured blackberry fruit, with very pure, piercing flavours. A wine of considerable breed. 20+ years.

Black red, very smoky, really concentrated nose, lots of extraction, massively structured, certainly a most impressive wine, one of the blockbusters of the vintage. Drink 2017-30.

This is a rich, powerful, concentrated and well-structured wine, but in comparison to recent vintages (from 2014) this comes off slightly heavy on the mid-palate. However, I love the balance at the ripe and generous finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)

The 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou will eclipse the brilliant wines produced in 2005, 2003, and 2000. It will be interesting to see how the 2009 fares against the 2010 after twenty years of aging, but my money is on the 2009. A blend of 85% cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, this inky purple, unctuous wine possesses classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, blueberries, violets, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. full-bodied and intense with Ducru's inimitable elegance and purity, it should firm up in the bottle after 7-10 years of cellaring and last for 40-50 years. Magnificent!

Can the 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou be better than the brilliant 2000 and extraordinary 2003 and 2005? Purchasers will have to decide for themselves, but this compelling effort is one of the all-time great Ducru Beaucaillous. It is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, and, remarkably, despite the fact that 90% new oak was utilized, not a hint of wood can be found in either the aromatics or flavors. This inky/purple-hued, unctuously textured 2009 reveals layers and layers of blue, red, and black fruits, and hints of licorice and spice box. Despite its substantial, massive size, it retains an elegant style, but will need 3-5 years of cellaring. It should last for 40+ years. (Tasted once.) Drink 2013-2053.

The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a tightly wound and almost Pauillac-like bouquet, veins of graphite strafing the black fruit, tightly wound but it is tremendously focused and vibrant. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin that disguise the density and grip of this Saint-Julien. Powerful to the point of being stentorian, yet utterly compelling, it will need another three or four years in bottle. Extremely impressive - a Ducru-Beaucaillou showing what it can do. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. 2025 - 2055

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Ducru Beaucaillou ‘09 has a classy, sophisticated bouquet with blackberry, dark plum, and a hint of cassis and oyster shell. It displays fine delineation and composure. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe entry. There is very good weight and structure here, a sense of symmetry and grace that is very appealing. This is one of Bruno Borie’s finest wines ...although I think the 2010 might turn out even better.

This has an impressive powerful and hearty structure, with seductive floral, currant and licorice aromas and flavors, showing powerful tannins at the end. This sneaks up on you at the end. Structured and very, very powerful. The blockbuster tannins are sweet and fruit-coated. This is a classic, powerful style of Ducru. May be best yet. Wow.

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou bursts from the glass with an amazing array of black fruit preserves and savory layers—crème de cassis, blackberry tart, baked plums and mincemeat pie with suggestions of black olives, sautéed herbs and beef drippings plus wafts of sweaty leather and sandalwood. Full-bodied with a firm frame of grainy tannins and tons of freshness, the muscular fruit completely coats the palate with juicy berry preserves, while the finish is long and savory. 2020 - 2050