2011 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St. Julien Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
28775 Views
2011
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (St. Julien)
Cigar box, underbrush, blackberries, flowers, and lead pencil show in the nose. On the palate, the wine is ready to go with its soft, polished, sweet red plum and currant core of fruits. Charming in style, with loads of refreshing mint at the back of the finish, this is drinking beautifully today. The wine blends 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Merlot. Drink from 2023-2041. 2,501 Views Tasted Sep 5, 2023Medium-bodied, glossy, fresh, soft, dark red fruits feel just fine on your palate. Soft, light in weight and not overly long, still, the tannins feel good and the wine has a nice, earthy, fruity nature that can be enjoyed now and over the next 10-15 years. 5,095 Views Tasted May 31, 2020With an earthy, herbal, olive and blackberry nose, this forward styled, open wine is light, fresh, clean and silky. Dominated by sweet, ripe black cherries in the end note, this will be drinkable on release and will get better with age. This is a very sold performance in a difficult vintage. 10,412 Views Tasted May 20, 2014Produced from a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, which reached 13.10% ABV, the wine will be aged in 95% new oak for 18 months. With the lowest yields in 25 years, production will be close to 25% less than in the previous vintage. Deep ruby in color, with purple accents around the rim, blackberry, truffle, tobacco, earth, cassis, smoke, licorice and black cherry scents are found with little effort. Plush, ripe, silky tannins and a fresh, ripe blackberry, black cherry and spicy plum finish are the hallmarks of this wine. 93 – 95 Pts 10,767 Views Tasted Apr 13, 2012 |
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.