Château Ducru Beaucaillou 2024 en Primeur

Eblouissant par sa profondeur de couleur et son éclat aromatique. Les limites du millésime sont largement dépassées. Profondément supérieur.

Excellent depth with very good concentration. Lots of dusty, small-grained tannins. Densely packed, with nervy minerals, blackberries, dark chocolate, violets and cassis. Full-bodied and very fresh, with a lengthy finish. Structured and tightly framed. Shows good potential. 86% cabernet sauvignon and 14% merlot.

Cette année encore Ducru est en lice pour la palme du raffinement. Le vin est fantastique de définition et de précision avec un immense respect du fruit. Saluons la qualité des tanins, l’allonge et la rétro-olfaction montante, fruitée, florale et épicée. (Olivier Poels)

Lovely aromatics on the nose, deep vivid purple. Floral scents and lots of Cabernet markers, dried mint, clove, aniseed and blackcurrants. Cool and crunchy straight away, this has a gorgeous smooth texture with ripe and concentrated fruit. I like this, it feels restrained and not overdone with a silky fruit profile and firm but fine tannins. There's a softness to this and a long length with a push of flavour. It has a deep, dark fruit aspect - not too sharp or sour, balanced in terms of acidity and fruit with wet stones, graphite and liquorice on the finish. Elegant and enjoyable. 3.8pH. (Georgina Hindle)

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate rim brightening. Spicy, nuances of charcoal and liquorice, a hint of cassis, blackberry confit, delicate hints of nougat and candied orange zest. Powerful, ripe berry fruit, fine acidity, red berry aftertaste, salty minerality, good length, sure maturity and certain ageing potential. (Peter Moser)

As to the Grand Vin, the 2024 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, resting in 100% new oak. Its deep purple hue is followed by a terrific 2024 that defies the challenges of the vintage. Pure cassis, darker currants, graphite, crushed stone, and sappy violet notes all emerge on the nose. It's medium-bodied, with a beautifully layered, concentrated mid-palate, ripe yet velvety tannins, and a great finish. This classic Saint-Julien will benefit from bottle age and is another brilliant effort from the team. It's one of the richer, more structured wines in the vintage, yet it remains balanced, precise, and never overdone.

Deep and rich aromas of crushed black frutti di bosco and crème de mûre. Barely any of the oak is apparent yet. Concentrated and inviting. Lush palate with very rich spicy tannins and lots of deep fruit. Although less outright exuberant than normal for Ducru, this is a great example of how the elegance of the vintage can be played out in the wine, without anything feeling mean. A great reward for the low yields, rigorous selection and hard work that went into it. Certainly one to watch.

The 2024 Ducru-Beaucaillou is showing well at this stage, unfurling in the glass with a perfumed bouquet of dark berries, flowers, gentian and fresh licorice, interwoven with delicate spicy nuances. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and seamless, it is lively and refined, with somewhat firm tannins leading to a gently grippy finish. This was harvested between September 30 and October 15. (Yohan Castaing)