Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010

Not shy at all, with a flamboyant, aromatic profile of roasted apple wood and warm ganache, featuring more than enough stuffing in the form of thickly layered blackberry paste, steeped fig and pastis-soaked plum flavors. The structure is massive but incredibly polished, and the fruit displays terrific purity through the graphite-supported finish. Large-scale and extremely well-rendered. Best from 2020 through 2040. 8,416 cases made.

A grand wine, it has great ripeness and richness, majestic in its structure and upright character. It is concentrated, perfumed and opulent. The style of Ducru Beaucaillou is both generous and powerful, and obviously ageworthy.

Violet/rose petal notes on the nose, together with the first appearance of some tertiary notes (cedar wood and a hint of mushroom). But still very youthful and with a long future ahead, there is plenty of dark berry concentration, firm tannins and a voluptuous texture on the palate. The Ducru team prefer 2010 to 2009, but feel the 'tannins are a little less fine that some of the more recent vintages'. Just entering a very long drinking window. Cabernet Sauvignon forms 90% of the blend together with 10% Merlot.

The nose is phenomenal with perfect aromas of Cabernet Sauvignon with currant bush, blackberries and minerals. A pure expression of Cab. The palate is perfect with a full body, but has perfectly integrated tannins with a texture like the finest cashmere. It's strong but noble with perfect form and beauty. All in harmony. A fabulous wine that everyone who loves Bordeaux should have a bottle or case of. Better in 2020.

Concentrated, deep, long, energetic, complex, full-bodied, long, and intense. The fruits are ripe, sweet and fleshly, long and intense with only a touch of oak waiting to resolve. The wine offers depth of flavor, freshness, and purity. This remains youthful and should age and develop for another 3-4 decades. The wine blends 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with 10% Merlot. It is hard to believe it has been a full decade since I last tasted this gem. Drink from 2025-2060.

Very dark ruby garnet with purple highlights. Fully ripe black berry fruit, delicate orange zest and a hint of cassis, offering a multi-faceted bouquet typical of Ducru. Full-bodied, with perfect silky tannins and finesse-driven acidity; generous fruit, a delicate caramel note on the finish, great length and an exceptionally long, lingering aftertaste, with wonderful extract sweetness on the finish as well.

In comparison to the more showy, sexy 2009, the 2010 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou cuts a very different profile, with a more focused, pure, regal style that will stop any wine lover in their tracks. Pure crème de cassis, graphite, fresh tobacco, and lead pencil (there's an almost Pauillac edge here) define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, concentrated, incredibly layered mouthfeel, absolutely perfect tannins, and a great, great finish. It's absolutely mind-blowingly good today yet has 50, 60, 75+ years of longevity ahead of it.

20% below a normal crop. Approx. 115,000 bottles. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot. Deep purple. A finely fruity bouquet of ripe red plums and plenty of cherry notes, with delicate complexity and an almost nobly restrained character. On the palate, superbly elegant and beautifully balanced; despite being abundant, the tannins are barely felt, with a long finish.

20% below a normal crop. Approx. 115,000 bottles. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot. Deep purple, dense at the core, with a garnet rim. A finely fruity bouquet with ripe red plums and plenty of cherry notes, showing subtle complexity—almost nobly restrained. On the palate, supremely elegant and beautifully balanced; the tannins, though clearly abundant, are hardly felt. Long, lingering finish. A “violin” Saint-Julien with brilliant finesse.

(90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot) Velvety, deep, elegant, complex bouquet with black cherries, black berries, cedar, truffle, tobacco, currants, and toasted notes. Balanced, elegant, multi-layered, classic palate with a dense, silky structure, concentrated fruit, compact aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, and a very long, dense finish with black currant and graphite. 19/20 2018 - 2045

This is intense, concentrated, spirals through the palate, grabbing you with satin-textured blackberry and bilberry fruits, showing depth and character. Plentiful tannins shot through with luscious juice from beginning to end, this stretches out, building flavours an inch at a time, confident and at the top of its game. Such well-judged appellation, estate and vintage signature, ticking all boxes of that particular holy trinity. Harvest September 29 to October 14. 100% new oak. The last vintage with Jacques Boissenot working alongside his son Eric, Virginie Sallette technical director.

A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, the 2010 Ducru-Beaucaillou is deep garnet in color. Notes of creme de cassis, blueberry pie, and chocolate-covered cherries explode from the glass, followed by nuances of violets, dried mint, anise, and tobacco leaf. The full-bodied palate is jam packed with muscular black fruits, framed by very firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fruity. What a powerhouse!

The colour is deep, and the nose is beautifully and exquisitely spicy. On the palate, the wine is long, refined and elegant; the tannic structure is enormous, yet the tannins are very fine, with superb substance and great length. If the 2009 is silkier, the 2010 is more refined. A masterful success from Ducru-Beaucaillou.

Coming after 2009, the 2010 vintage was under pressure from the outset. That was a promising sign—an incentive to deliver and ensure the succession. Even if it isn’t quite on a par with 2009, 2010 chose not only to challenge it, but to try to surpass it. Did it succeed? Let’s start at the beginning: the bouquet, with notes of red berries and spices followed by classic mineral nuances, clearly puts freshness front and center. On the palate, it combines breadth with muscle. It’s a kind of marathon runner with the potential to turn into a shot putter if needed. Its acidic structure brings tension and salinity, while the tannins provide power. The resulting harmony creates a whole built to defy the decades ahead. You can drink it now if you absolutely must taste it… and you’ll obviously be delighted! Giving it more time will only underscore its greatness and its ability to continue improving.

Logo on the cork: LL0712A Tasted blind, without decanting. Dark color, medium intensity and slightly evolved. Intense, refined nose. A fruity hint of strawberry. A lovely, supple entry on the palate. The wine develops juicy, flavorful and very fruity, with present tannins, yet well-balanced and full of character. Good, savory length.