Paul K

9.3

Day 1, 1 glass - 90/91. Got the funk on the nose, chocolate, cherry, graphite, iron core and floral. Day 2 everything plus, but better, solid 93. There was nothing wrong with this wine day 2. Was so fun to drink. Can’t wait for bottles 5 and 10 years from now. — 15 days ago

Jan A

9.0

My first white Bordeaux. Popped the cherry 🍒. Triggered by the 2023 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign reviews passing by in the Delectable app. Ordered this on the Bordeaux futures campaign of 2019 to satisfy my curiosity for white Bordeaux. Typically, sauvignon blanc is not my favorite grape variety (although I do have some Cotat/Silex etc. to try what SB can be in the right hands). Tropical fruit profile, balanced. Quality wine but not top of the bill. The Semillion adds some sweetness. Overall this style is not something I am interested in so not bothered to buy more. — 8 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

On the nose; dark currants, stewed styled blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, blueberries top nose, black raspberries, strawberries haunt here & there, semi-sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate, dry clay, loamy dry top soil, leather, lead pencil shavings, cedar, black tea, decayed red florals with fresh violets.

The palate is full bodied. Tannins rounded, dusty and 40% resolved. The structure is still big & bold, tension tight, balance is getting there and the length is in a good place with better evolution ahead. Dark currants, stewed styled blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, blueberries top nose, black raspberries, strawberries haunt here & there, semi-sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate, hint of mocha powder, vanilla, medium spice, dry stems, bay leaf, dry black turned earth, dry clay, loamy dry top soil, leather, lead pencil shavings, cedar, black tea, decayed red florals with fresh violets. The acidity is a little light but not bad. The long, drier, balanced finish is developing but needs another 5-8 years to reveal its best self.

Photos of; Owner Michel Bortolussi, small barrel room & Chateau Lucia exterior.

Producer notes and history...the owner of Lucia, Michel Bortolussi, got his start in the Bordeaux wine business selling equipment needed to make wine to all the top producers and winemakers in Bordeaux.
However, his strongest customer base were the numerous Chateau’s located in the Saint Emilion. Michel Bortolussi knee that if so many of his customers could produce great wine, he could as well. One of his best clients was wine consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. That relationship was the start of Chateau Lucia.

Before Bortolussi and Stephane Derenoncourt teamed up to create Chateau Lucia. The wine was formally sold under the name of Chateau Lucie before Michel Bortolussi changed the name to Lucia.

The first vintage for Lucia was made in 2001. In 2012, Chateau Lucia was sold to Enzo Ide, a Belgian businessman.

Enzo Ide has retained the same technical team for their Right Bank vineyards and wine making. Enzo Ide also owns another vineyard, Chateau La Rousselle in the Fronsac appellation.

The 4.3 hectare St. Emilion vineyard of Chateau Lucia is planted to 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Lucia has some of the oldest vines in Bordeaux. In fact, some of the vines date all the way back to 1901. They also have two other sections of vineyard with vines that are on average 30 years of age.

The younger vines are situated close to Chateau Monbousquet. Those vines are planted in more of the sandy terroir with some clay in the soils. Overall, the vineyard has a terroir of clay and limestone soils. The vines are planted to a vine density of 5,500 vines per hectare.

There is a lot of intensive labor that takes place at Chateau Lucia. To produce Chateau Lucia, the berries are harvested by hand. The fruit is sorted twice before fermentation. The grapes are whole berry fermented in small open-top, oak tanks that range in size from 30 to 50 hectoliters.

Everything in the small cellars is moved by gravity. Malolactic fermentation takes place in french oak barrels. The wine is aged on its lees in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for between 12 to 18 months, depending on the character and quality of the vintage.

The production of Lucia is small at about 1,250 cases depending on what the vintage gives.

The 09 while tasty after opening up over an hour, still needs another 6-8+ years in bottle to be all it can be. Drink 2024-33. — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of red and black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, earth, chocolates, tobacco, spices, coffee, herbs and black tea.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, spices, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, peppercorn, pencil lead, earth, tobacco leaf and herbs.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from from Bordeaux. Rich and engaging. Fruit forward with nice complexity.

Soft and spicy, nicely balanced and elegant.

This 5 year old Second Wine is already drinking very nicely. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years.

Good by itself or with food. A nice sipping wine.

A blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$35. — 3 months ago

E & K G

9.3

Great balance of acidity, minerality and fruit. As sharp as the arrow on the label! The only sad thing about this night is that one of our favorite restaurants is closing. We will miss you Monbousquet. — 6 years ago

Jonathan Maltus

9.4

My first vintage of this wine. Lyn's parents moved there to be with us Mainly gravel next to Monbousquet. — 8 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.5

Grapefruit, elderflower, pear, melon, vanilla, hay, drizzles of honey and spice. Soft, rounded, oily and complex, while a tangy twang provides freshness and lift.
Marvelous wine.

Such a pity that this Persé-property took all white vines out a few years ago… 😫

60SB 30Sem and some dollops of Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle; ca. 4000 btls produced. — 6 months ago

Ken Z

9.1

Drank 2/13/19. Excellent pairing with a ribeye(what Bordeaux isn't?!).

A departure from my general buying habits, this is the second wine of Ducru-Beacalliou. I generally prefer the first wines of lesser chateau, and this, though very good, is no exception.

Nice, fairly powerful nose of blackberry, graphite, and soil. Flavors are perhaps a touch lean, but come alive when paired with the steak. Black fruits, soil, and some black licorice are backed by medium + well integrated tannins. Nice balance. Long finish.

Very nice, but for the price I would buy the Monbousquet from the same vintage all day.

4/21/8/4/4 +50 = 91 pts. — 6 years ago

Jeff Loo

9.3

Barrel Sample. Not as exciting as the 2015. This will require time to truly assess this. Made with real quality in mind and the largest percentage of Cabernet franc ever. To me however, the wine of the Perse portfolio this year is Monbousquet. 92-94pts — 8 years ago

Daniel Sargeant

9.1

Great wine — 8 years ago