Cool, ripe and mineral nose. Lovely energy - dances - pretty firm in structure, then a whoosh of freshness. Acidity is well judged. Real power, great perfume, very pretty indeed. - April 2019

This is not a second wine as such, because it comes from a dedicated part of the vineyard, located on the south bank of La Mouline. The 2018 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, to be aged 12 months in 60% new barriques. It has a pH of 3.75, 15% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 96. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little closed and broody to begin, offering subtle notions of fertile loam, tobacco, truffles and cast iron pan with a core of crème de cassis, blackberry compote and boysenberries with hints of underbrush and bay leaves. Full, rich and seductive in the mouth, it has firm, rounded tannins and just enough freshness to lift the dense fruit to a long finish. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, April 2019, The Wine Advocate

While the 2018 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is often thought of as the second wine of Ducru-Beaucaillou, it’s actually from a separate parcel on the northern part of the estate and is a stand-alone wine based on 55% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot that will spend 12 months in 60% new French oak. Offering terrific purity of fruit as well as notes of graphite, lead pencil, cassis, and blackberries, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a distinct sense of minerality, good structure, and outstanding length. I’d be thrilled to drink bottles over the coming decade or more. - jebdunnuck.com, May 2019

Black hearted. Intense ripe cassis and damson fruit. A slight sourness to the black fruit but the tannins are smooth and compact. There's richness to the fruit and impressive density just a little bitter and some alcoholic heat on the finish. More power than elegance and not very digestible.Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, April 2019