Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1997

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1997

Tasting

Colour
The wine displays a classic, elegant red hue.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet is complex, led by black fruit such as blackcurrant and blackberry, harmoniously underscored by noble notes of cedar and delicate spices.

Palate
Perfectly balanced, the palate offers fruit of great elegance, supported by a tannic structure that is both firm and silky. The acidity preserves a lovely freshness that carries the wine through to a remarkably long finish.

Food and wine pairings

This great red wine pairs beautifully with fine roasted or grilled meats, such as rib of beef or sirloin. It also enhances game dishes served with mushroom sauces, truffle-based recipes and aged hard cheeses such as a mature Comté.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1997, serve it at around 16°C after a short period of aeration. With notable ageing potential for its vintage, this wine is ready to drink now and can continue to develop in the cellar until around 2030.

The Elegance and Depth of a Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classé

The estate

Founded in 1720 upon the marriage of Marie Dejean and Jacques de Bergeron, the estate has established itself as a benchmark in Bordeaux. Located on the Left Bank, this historic property has seen a steady rise in quality over the centuries. Owned by the Borie family since 1942, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is now run by Bruno-Eugène Borie. Under his leadership, this Grand Cru Classé combines tradition, rigorous selection and respect for the environment to produce exceptionally long-lived wines that are true emblems of their appellation.

The vineyard

The Saint-Julien terroir rests on particularly deep Günzian gravels, reaching six to eight metres, which overlie a Tertiary clay-limestone subsoil. This poor, free-draining soil forces the vines, averaging 35 to 40 years of age, to root deeply. Planted at high density, the vineyard also benefits from a unique microclimate thanks to its immediate proximity to the Gironde estuary, a natural thermal regulator that protects the vines from climatic extremes and promotes even ripening of the berries.

The vintage

An early-ripening year, 1997 is often regarded as a softer vintage in the region. However, thanks to the mild estuarine climate and meticulous vineyard management, the grapes achieved a remarkable balance, yielding structured fruit that stands out from what such weather conditions would usually produce.

Vinification and ageing

The grapes are harvested by hand, with meticulous sorting carried out directly in the vineyard. In the cellar, extraction is gentle to preserve the finesse of the tannins, followed by malolactic fermentation in vats. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1997 was aged in French oak barrels, with a significant proportion of new oak, for around 18 months, shaping a structure built for ageing.

Grape varieties

70% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Merlot