Blackberry, mint and black pepper abound here. The palate has serious structure, with an emphasis on liquorice, restrained vanilla, cedar and earth. It's still pretty concentrated and voluptuous. Recorked at the château in 2001. The exact blend was not recorded, so the blend shown reflects the vineyard plantings, with 5% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038
Tasted by Jane Anson (at 1986 & 1988 St-Julien comparison tasting, 67 Pall Mall, London, 02 May 2019)
Part of Anson: Comparing St-Julien 1986 and 1988

Medium brick in color with a touch of brown, the 1986 Ducru-Beaucaillou reveals growing notes of dried mulberries, kirsch and raisin cake with nuances of celery salt, dried bay leaves, truffles and charcuterie plus hints of old leather sofa and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has quite a powerful structure with firm, chewy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular, dried berries flavors, finishing long with a dried mint kick. Readers should note that this vintage fell within a notoriously patchy period at Ducru, where the cellar is likely to have fallen victim to TCA or a TCA-like taint, and it appears some bottles were impacted from 1986 to 1994. By 1995, the chateau had a completely new vat room/cellar and the problem ceased. Therefore, there could be some bottle variation to be had with this vintage. This bottle, however, was pristine, tasted at the chateau.

Medium brick in color with a touch of brown, the 1986 Ducru-Beaucaillou reveals growing notes of dried mulberries, kirsch and raisin cake with nuances of celery salt, dried bay leaves, truffles and charcuterie plus hints of old leather sofa and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has quite a powerful structure with firm, chewy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular, dried berries flavors, finishing long with a dried mint kick. LPB

The 1986 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou showed beautifully, with a ripe, layered, seamless profile. Ripe currants, leafy tobacco, and earthy, spicy nuances all define the aromatics, and it has a terrific sense of freshness, medium to full body, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's fully mature but there's plenty of life here, and it opens up nicely with time in the glass. I don't see any upside, but this will clearly evolve and hold nicely for over the coming 15+ years. It's a beautiful Ducru-Beaucaillou that's worth seeking out.

The 1986 Ducru-Beaucaillou is another wine produced during the troubled period for the estate, and the wine seems to be tainted by TCA. However, it offers up aromas of green pepper, spices as well as earthy and animal notes. The palate is medium-bodied with earthy tannins, short finish but balanced texture.

Very deep colour with slight evolution at the rim. Clean, dense and refreshing with some dryness on the finish. Austere, chewy and with noticeable tannin at the end. This is a wine which is dry in both senses: not sweet and extremely tough. (JR)