1996 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St. Julien Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
71389 Views
1996
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (St. Julien)
Fully into its prime-time drinking window, the nose, with its tobacco, cedar chest, cigar box, herb, forest leaf, and currant-filled perfume is a treat. Full-bodied, with ample concentration, length, freshness, and a wealth of chewy currants on the palate, this is a treat to drink at this stage. Not much decanting is needed, just pop, pour and enjoy the ride. Drink from 2022-2036. 3,994 Views Tasted Sep 25, 2022At 22 years of age, this is close to hitting the sweet spot. Now you find a softening of the tannins and more secondary development with increased nuances of cigar box, wet earth, rocks, stones, forest floor and cassis. The wine has retained its freshness, concentration and the finish tastes and feels great with its bright red fruits and earthy complexities. Drink this now, or age it for a decade, either way this is a solid example of classic Ducru Beaucaillou. 6,052 Views Tasted May 31, 2018With 2 hours of decanting, this was rocking in the house. The sweet cassis, spice, cigar box, earth, tobacco and cherry notes were focused. The tannins are soft and refined and the finish offers a lot of freshness coupled with earthy, tobacco, spicy complexities. Drink this now, or age it for another 5 years, but I think it's quite tasty today. 6,297 Views Tasted Jan 1, 2017This just keeps getting better and better with age. The nose was like a great Cuban cigar dipped in cassis that we were smoking in a wet forest. The tannins have softened, there is freshness to the fruit and the finish feels as good as it tastes. If you've been waiting to pop a cork, stop waiting and open the wine already. This is probably at, or close to peak. 6,633 Views Tasted Sep 16, 2016It’s a text-book example of a mature St. Julien wine that is just entering its plateau of prime time maturity. Think of cigar box, cassis, smoke, tobacco, ripe, sweet, dark red fruits, hints of coffee bean and wet earth, with soft, round textures and a spicy, dark, red fruit finish. 6,588 Views Tasted Mar 2, 2016Tasting this beauty is like smoking a great Cuban cigar while drinking a glass of cassis. Close to fully mature, this character filled charmer is packed with smoky, tobacco, dark red fruits earth and truffle notes. It's definitely entered into its prime time drinking window. 6,877 Views Tasted Nov 27, 2015This keeps heading in the right direction with bottle age. The tannins has softened and the wine is showing a plummy, tobacco, chocoalte and truffle character, with soft, polished tannins. Drink now, or it age a few more years. 8,307 Views Tasted Jul 27, 2014Starting to open and develop secondary characteristics of tobacco, cigar box, spice, earth and forest floor, to accompany the cassis, blackberry and cedar notes, the wine is a bridge between the previous generation of wines made at Ducru Beaucaillou and the current wines being produced at the estate. This is the right time to start drinking the wine. It should age and improve for at least another 15-20 or more years. 12,598 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2012Forest floor, cedar wood, menthol, blackberry, crème de cassis, leather and 5 spice aromas pop within moments of being poured. Full bodied and packed with ripe, dark berries, the wine ends with a long, fresh, ripe, cassis filled finish. Still young, this Ducru Beaucaillou will age well. 14,043 Views Tasted Jul 31, 2011 |
When to Drink Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou is not a wine to drink on the young side. The wine is usually far too tannic, powerful, and reserved during its youth. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 3-4 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume.
Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou is usually better with at least 15 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 18 and 50 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Ducru Beaucaillou is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, salmon, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese.