Freddy R. Troya

9.3

La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou – 2021
AOC Saint-Julien – Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
The second wine of the famed 2nd Growth Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, crafted under the stewardship of the Borie family. The 2021 vintage carries the estate’s signature terroir of deep gravel soils (“beaux cailloux” meaning “beautiful stones”), producing wines with elegance, depth, and longevity. Typical blend leans on Cabernet Sauvignon 64%, Merlot 32% and Petit Verdot 4% for a compelling profile.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, blackberry, and dark plum layered with graphite, tobacco, and cedar. Secondary notes of violets, cocoa powder, and subtle spice add depth and intrigue.

Mouthfeel
Firm tannic backbone with a silky texture emerging mid-palate. Medium to full-bodied, offering precision and finesse over sheer power. Fresh acidity frames the fruit, finishing long with mineral-driven elegance.

Food Pairings
Ribeye steak, venison, or duck confit, gourmet burgers, grilled portobello mushrooms, or truffle pizza. Aged Comté, Ossau-Iraty, or sharp Cheddar.

Verdict
A true Saint-Julien expression, structured yet polished, approachable in youth but built to evolve. This second wine offers a taste of Ducru’s pedigree without the grand vin price tag.

Did You Know?
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou earned its name from the large “beautiful stones” (cailloux) that dominate the vineyard’s gravel soils, perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon, which thrives in heat-retentive terroir.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight: For lovers of Left Bank Bordeaux, this is a perfect introduction to Ducru’s magic, refined, powerful, and unmistakably Saint-Julien at a very affordable price point. Cheers! — 12 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.3

2018 vintage. — 23 days ago

Karita Troberg

9.3

It’s a very balanced, rich and pleasant wine. No suprises, but perfect delivery. — a month ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.1

Cute label. Color is pretty. Smells of the river rocks and berry compote. Hint of smoke. Flavors are juicy and complex. Plenty of minerals. Balance is great. Floral and fresh. — 5 days ago

Xista

9.1

Light tannin - tobacco leather - dark ruby red — 5 days ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Merlot dominates this blend but there is some Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc blended in. Medium ruby color with a slight clear meniscus. Fruit forward aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry, dark plum, baking spices and cedar. Medium-plus finish. Medium body and very silky tannins. Well balanced/layered acidity and a very silky texture. A bit more austere than a traditional Medoc red blend. At peak. — a month ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

Perhaps it was a mistake to drink this after a glass of the KS Barolo but seemed a bit overweight and lacking in acidity without the layers of complexity I expect in a #chateauneufdepape. It may have come down to insufficient time to aerate. — 2 months ago

romo

9.2

Put these down and watch the angry tannin melt away. Lighter-bodied right banker. — 4 days ago

Jan A

9.5

Paired with stamppot boerenkool and stamppot zuurkool. Traditional Dutch food. Comforting! — a month ago

Shay A

9.2

I’m in the 91+ range here. Had hoped for a more wow experience but this was simply solid and that’s ok. Not all wines need to be stunners.

80 Grenache/ 15 Mourvèdre/ 5 Syrah. Followed from bottle over the course of two hours.

To this wine’s credit, it presented exactly as it should. Warm 2015 vintage type profile which extracts the Grenache (ripe red fruits, sweet spice, little heat) but also accentuates/deepens the garrigue/potpurri profile. Alcohol pokes out a touch on the palate but it’s mostly juicy red berry fruit, little bit of dirty fig, herbal. On the whole, this is a very clean style of CdP that presents with no Brett/funk but also speaks to Grenache (as opposed to being a typical super CdP blend). Drink or hold another 3-5yrs for this window. — a month ago