Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 23/04/1999

I tasted the 1996 Ducru Beaucaillou on four separate occasions from bottle in January. The 1996 is long, with a deep mid-palate. It also reveals tannin in the finish. This wine is remarkable. It is muscular, concentrated, and classic. Bottled in late June, 1998, it exhibits a saturated ruby/purple color, as well as a knock-out nose of minerals, licorice, cassis, and an unmistakable lead pencil smell that I often associate with top vintages of Lafite-Rothschild. It is sweet and full-bodied, yet unbelievably rich with no sense of heaviness or flabbiness. The wine possesses high tannin, but it is extremely ripe, and the sweetness of the black currant, spice-tinged Cabernet Sauvignon fruit is pronounced. This profound, backward Ducru-Beaucaillou is a must purchase. It will be fascinating for readers who own the 1996 to follow the evolution of this exceptional vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2035.


Drink 2008-2035
-Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No 7

The 1996 Ducru Beaucaillou was tasted on numerous occasions blind against the fabulous 1995. Which vintage is superior? It is a marginal call, but the 1996 appears slightly longer, with a deeper mid-palate. It also reveals more tannin in the finish. The 1996 is more muscular, concentrated and classic. This wine exhibits a saturated ruby/purple colour, as well as a knockout nose of minerals, licorice, cassis and an unmistakeably lead pencil smell that I often associate with top vintages of Lafite Rothschild. It is sweet and full bodied yet unbelievably rich with no sense of heaviness or flabbiness. The wine possesses high tannin, but it is extremely ripe and the sweetness of the blackcurrent, spice-tinged Cabernet Sauvignon fruit is pronounced. This profound, backward Ducru Beaucaillou is a must purchase. It wil be fascinating for readers who own both the 1996 and 1995 to follow the evolution of these two exceptional vintages. Anticipated maturity: now-2035

The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou, tasted at the chateau, is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. Deep garnet-brick in color, scents of black cherries, redcurrant jelly, and pencil lead jump from the glass, leading to hints of Ceylon tea and clove oil. The medium-bodied palate has a velvety texture framing the delicate black and red fruit layers, with a lively backbone and a long, spicy finish. Lisa Perrotti-Brown Sept 2023 - The Wine Independent

Fully into its prime-time drinking window, the nose, with its tobacco, cedar chest, cigar box, herb, forest leaf, and currant-filled perfume is a treat. Full-bodied, with ample concentration, length, freshness, and a wealth of chewy currants on the palate, this is a treat to drink at this stage. Not much decanting is needed, just pop, pour and enjoy the ride. Drink from 2022-2036. Tasted Sept 2022

Bright medium ruby. Deep, superripe aromas of dark berries, black cherry and bitter chocolate; slightly exotic crystallized fruit aspect. Dense, sweet and wonderfully rich; a lovely combination of palate-caressing chocolatey fruit and firm underlying structure. Finishes with excellent grip and great palate-saturating sweetness. Another outstanding 1996 Medoc wine in the making. Drink 2010 through 2030.

One of the great old school vintages of late 20th century Bordeaux, underestimated at the time because its tannic heft kept everything closed for a good decade or more. We are joining it now, at 27 years old, as everything is just smoothing out, the tannins still present but welcoming and supple, holding on to cassis, bilberry, black cherry, sage, white truffle, cloves, star anise, charcoal and mint that captures the essence of the vintage in St Julien. It was also a moment in the Médoc when there was a profound shift from the traditional way of winemaking, and here at Ducru there was a new winery that had been in place since 1995, and Eric Boissenot was just joining the consulting team, working alongside his father Jacques. Jane Anson April 2023 - Inside Bordeaux

The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I have not tasted for a number of years. Matured in two-thirds new oak, it has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, estuarine scents, touches of liquorice emerging with time. It is higher-toned than the 1995 with iodine evolving with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fresh acidity, quite sweet in the mouth and maybe like the 1995, just missing that complexity and terroir expression that I think has defined recent vintages from this estate. Maybe it is slightly compromised by some Merlot (25%) that was picked a but later, but still, there is a lot of pleasure to be found in this 1996. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. July 2022