2006 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien, France

Please note the image is of a representative bottle. For pictures of the actual bottle please contact the store.

Winemaker Notes
The 2006 of Ducru-Beaucaillou exhibits the sameanalytical richness as its 2005 or 2003 counterpart. While on a par with those top quality vintages, it boast a special personality: endowed with a generous fruit and a superb freshness, presenting an elegant albeit solid structure.

Varietal Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 75%, 25% Merlot

Press
#96 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2009

Rated 95 Points Wine Spectator
Very perfumed and beautiful, showing blackberry and raspberry aromas, with hints of vanilla. Deep and complex. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, powerful finish. Excellent for the vintage. Best after 2015.

Rated 95 Points Decanter
This is not quite as silky smooth and rich as the 2005 and yet it's full of promise. It feels young, with tannins that are still pulsating around the dark berry fruits, joined by eucalyptus and cigar box notes through the finish. With clear depth of flavour, it's a classically framed St Julien, full of dark cheer, a winter wine for nights by the fire with good food and good friends.

Rated 94 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet in color, the 2006 Ducru-Beaucaillou delivers expressive Black Forest cake, blackcurrant cordial and chocolate box scents with touches of fertile loam, espresso, Marmite toast and black olives. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegantly played with vibrant fruit expression and a firm, grainy texture, finishing with a lively lift.

Rated 94 Points Wine Enthusiast
This is that rare Bordeaux Cabernet that comes close in style to a Napa Cabernet. The character comes from the mint aromas and medicinal edge, formed from new wood aging. At this stage in its development, the wine is powerful, but closed and tight. However, it is possible to taste the ripe perfumes and the black cherry juice flavors that come through the vanilla.

Rated 92 Points Wine & Spirits
Vibrant currant and raspberry flavors lend sunniness to the heavier, deeply mineral tannic component in this wine. Complex spice hovers in between, with scents of sassafras relieving some of the gravity and weight. The texture is silken, and the wine feels composed. It should be more accessible in ten years' time, and drink well for another ten after that.