2024 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou La Croix de Beaucaillou
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| Type of Wine | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | |
| Appellation | Saint-Julien |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Grape | , , |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (13.5%) |
| Drink window | 2027 - 2040 |
| Available as of | Mar 1, 2027 |
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Description
Origin and reputation of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is an icon of the Saint-Julien appellation in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. The estate dates back to the eighteenth century and has been owned by the Borie family since 1941. Situated at the Gironde estuary, the estate benefits from a unique terroir with deep gravelly soils ("beaux cailloux") that ensure excellent drainage and slow grape ripening. The combination of climate, location, and winemaking tradition makes Château Ducru-Beaucaillou one of the most respected estates in Bordeaux. The estate produces several wines, including its second label, La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, whose quality increasingly approaches that of a Grand Vin.
Climate and harvest conditions of 2024
The 2024 vintage saw early budbreak due to a mild winter. Spring was damp and cool, delaying flowering and increasing powdery mildew pressure. Careful vineyard management ensured the health of the grapes. Summer brought ideal conditions with warm days, cool nights, and a lack of water, which benefited concentration and aromatic expression. Véraison began slowly around July 20th, followed by two brief heatwaves. Merlot was harvested quickly to preserve freshness, while Cabernet Sauvignon ripened optimally later. The harvest took place from September 23rd to October 8th and was carried out plot by plot to select only perfectly ripe fruit.
Grape varieties, vinification and maturation
The La Croix de Beaucaillou 2024 blend is 65% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot. Vinification was meticulously carried out, with great attention to extraction and purity. The wine was aged for 12 months in oak barrels, building structure and complexity without overpowering the fruit.
Flavor profile and aromatic characteristics
La Croix de Beaucaillou 2024 presents itself with an expressive nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, and black cherry. Subtle hints of licorice, clove, and vanilla give the wine a refined spiciness. On the palate, the wine reveals a tight and layered profile with refined tannins and lively acidity that provide freshness and precision. The finish is long, mineral, and layered with lingering dark fruit notes.
Reviews by international wine journalists
The 2024 edition of La Croix de Beaucaillou received rave reviews:
- James Suckling: 93-94 points
- Michel Bettane: 93-94 points
- Yves Beck: 92-94 points
- Antonio Galloni (Vinous): 90-92 points
- Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): 92 points
These reviews underline the consistency and finesse that this second label from Ducru-Beaucaillou combines with accessible drinkability.
Would you like to order Château Ducru-Beaucaillou wines online?
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou wines, including this 2024 La Croix, are stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse. Picking up your wine often entitles you to an attractive discount. You'll see the discount immediately when you select "Pick up" at checkout. We are located in Dordrecht, near the A16 motorway, with ample parking. Click here for our address .
You can read the full reviews from international wine journalists like Parker, Suckling, and Vinous for free via the links next to the wine image on our website. This service is exclusively for Grand Cru customers.
Need advice on finding the perfect wine to pair with your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier . Available free of charge to our customers.
Wine and food pairings with La Croix de Beaucaillou 2024
- Entrecote with rosemary potatoes – The powerful fruit and tannins match beautifully with grilled beef.
- Wild stew with plums and spices – The spicy notes of the wine complement the savoury, sweet flavours.
- Mushroom and Truffle Risotto – An earthy combination that accentuates the dark fruit aromas.
- Grilled duck breast with cherry compote – The juicy structure of the wine is enhanced by the fruity dish.
- Rack of Lamb with Thyme and Garlic – Rich, full flavours balanced by the freshness of the wine.
- Cassoulet with duck confit – This Southern French classic harmonizes with the spicy depth of the wine.
Specifications
| Available as of | Mar 1, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Packing information | Box |
| Type of Wine | Red |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Appellation | Saint-Julien |
| Winery | Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Drinking as of | 2027 |
| Drinking till | 2040 |
| Alcohol % | 13.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Promotion | En Primeur |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Mineraal, Tannines |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Wijnhuis
The Borie family has now owned this stately château for three generations, overlooking the Gironde. Since he took over the château in 2003, Bruno Borie has had only one goal: to make Ducru-Beaucaillou one of the best wines in the Médoc. The vineyards are planted with cabernet sauvignon (70%) and merlot (30%). As the name of the château implies, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is blessed with a grand pebble-rich terroir that produces perfect cabernet sauvignon. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou takes its name from its "beautiful pebbles" ("beaux Cailloux", in French) which geologists less romantically refer to as Gunzian gravel. These quartz pebbles were deposited by the ancient Garonne at the beginning of the early Quaternary, some two million years ago. It is enough to take a walk through the vineyards to find rich lithological finds. Lydian jasper from the Pyrenees, flint, quartz, agatoids ... This Gunzian gravel creates soils poor in plant nutrients. But it is precisely their agricultural scarcity that guarantees the qualitative excellence of the wines. A choice from nature.
At Ducru-Beaucaillou, excellence is formed inch by inch thanks to an understanding of what the vines have to offer. Experience, intuition, asking questions, for a symbiosis with Mother Earth; people only pass through these noble terroirs. Since nature is a "subject of law", every procedure in the vineyard respects the entire ecosystem: herbicides have been abandoned in favor of mechanical weeds and judicious turf; replacing chemical fertilizers with manure and quality compost; insecticides with pheromones to control vine moths or kaolin clay to lure the green locust. Measures to facilitate aeration and sun exposure of the bunches, to avoid Botrytis and, if applicable, bacilli. Constant monitoring of available nitrogen before harvest. Reasonable viticulture, which earned the property ISO 14001 certification in 2016, supplemented with HVE3 certification (high environmental value level 3) since 2017.
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Origin and reputation of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is an icon of the Saint-Julien appellation in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. The estate dates back to the eighteenth century and has been owned by the Borie family since 1941. Situated at the Gironde estuary, the estate benefits from a unique terroir with deep gravelly soils ("beaux cailloux") that ensure excellent drainage and slow grape ripening. The combination of climate, location, and winemaking tradition makes Château Ducru-Beaucaillou one of the most respected estates in Bordeaux. The estate produces several wines, including its second label, La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, whose quality increasingly approaches that of a Grand Vin.
Climate and harvest conditions of 2024
The 2024 vintage saw early budbreak due to a mild winter. Spring was damp and cool, delaying flowering and increasing powdery mildew pressure. Careful vineyard management ensured the health of the grapes. Summer brought ideal conditions with warm days, cool nights, and a lack of water, which benefited concentration and aromatic expression. Véraison began slowly around July 20th, followed by two brief heatwaves. Merlot was harvested quickly to preserve freshness, while Cabernet Sauvignon ripened optimally later. The harvest took place from September 23rd to October 8th and was carried out plot by plot to select only perfectly ripe fruit.
Grape varieties, vinification and maturation
The La Croix de Beaucaillou 2024 blend is 65% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot. Vinification was meticulously carried out, with great attention to extraction and purity. The wine was aged for 12 months in oak barrels, building structure and complexity without overpowering the fruit.
Flavor profile and aromatic characteristics
La Croix de Beaucaillou 2024 presents itself with an expressive nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, and black cherry. Subtle hints of licorice, clove, and vanilla give the wine a refined spiciness. On the palate, the wine reveals a tight and layered profile with refined tannins and lively acidity that provide freshness and precision. The finish is long, mineral, and layered with lingering dark fruit notes.
Reviews by international wine journalists
The 2024 edition of La Croix de Beaucaillou received rave reviews:
- James Suckling: 93-94 points
- Michel Bettane: 93-94 points
- Yves Beck: 92-94 points
- Antonio Galloni (Vinous): 90-92 points
- Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): 92 points
These reviews underline the consistency and finesse that this second label from Ducru-Beaucaillou combines with accessible drinkability.
Would you like to order Château Ducru-Beaucaillou wines online?
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou wines, including this 2024 La Croix, are stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse. Picking up your wine often entitles you to an attractive discount. You'll see the discount immediately when you select "Pick up" at checkout. We are located in Dordrecht, near the A16 motorway, with ample parking. Click here for our address .
You can read the full reviews from international wine journalists like Parker, Suckling, and Vinous for free via the links next to the wine image on our website. This service is exclusively for Grand Cru customers.
Need advice on finding the perfect wine to pair with your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier . Available free of charge to our customers.
Wine and food pairings with La Croix de Beaucaillou 2024
- Entrecote with rosemary potatoes – The powerful fruit and tannins match beautifully with grilled beef.
- Wild stew with plums and spices – The spicy notes of the wine complement the savoury, sweet flavours.
- Mushroom and Truffle Risotto – An earthy combination that accentuates the dark fruit aromas.
- Grilled duck breast with cherry compote – The juicy structure of the wine is enhanced by the fruity dish.
- Rack of Lamb with Thyme and Garlic – Rich, full flavours balanced by the freshness of the wine.
- Cassoulet with duck confit – This Southern French classic harmonizes with the spicy depth of the wine.
| Available as of | Mar 1, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Packing information | Box |
| Type of Wine | Red |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Appellation | Saint-Julien |
| Winery | Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Drinking as of | 2027 |
| Drinking till | 2040 |
| Alcohol % | 13.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Promotion | En Primeur |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Mineraal, Tannines |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
The Borie family has now owned this stately château for three generations, overlooking the Gironde. Since he took over the château in 2003, Bruno Borie has had only one goal: to make Ducru-Beaucaillou one of the best wines in the Médoc. The vineyards are planted with cabernet sauvignon (70%) and merlot (30%). As the name of the château implies, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is blessed with a grand pebble-rich terroir that produces perfect cabernet sauvignon. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou takes its name from its "beautiful pebbles" ("beaux Cailloux", in French) which geologists less romantically refer to as Gunzian gravel. These quartz pebbles were deposited by the ancient Garonne at the beginning of the early Quaternary, some two million years ago. It is enough to take a walk through the vineyards to find rich lithological finds. Lydian jasper from the Pyrenees, flint, quartz, agatoids ... This Gunzian gravel creates soils poor in plant nutrients. But it is precisely their agricultural scarcity that guarantees the qualitative excellence of the wines. A choice from nature.
At Ducru-Beaucaillou, excellence is formed inch by inch thanks to an understanding of what the vines have to offer. Experience, intuition, asking questions, for a symbiosis with Mother Earth; people only pass through these noble terroirs. Since nature is a "subject of law", every procedure in the vineyard respects the entire ecosystem: herbicides have been abandoned in favor of mechanical weeds and judicious turf; replacing chemical fertilizers with manure and quality compost; insecticides with pheromones to control vine moths or kaolin clay to lure the green locust. Measures to facilitate aeration and sun exposure of the bunches, to avoid Botrytis and, if applicable, bacilli. Constant monitoring of available nitrogen before harvest. Reasonable viticulture, which earned the property ISO 14001 certification in 2016, supplemented with HVE3 certification (high environmental value level 3) since 2017.
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