Attractive, intense aromas of ripe blueberries, currants and more savory, tarry notes, as well as iodine, violets and cassis. The palate has a supple and succulent feel. This is cabernet in outright seductive mode, offering such fluid tannins and mouth-filling length. A blend of 90% cabernet sauvignon and 10% merlot. One of the stars of the vintage.

From a great vintage that flies too far under the radar (it's certainly better then 2004, 2006, and 2007), the 2017 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou has that classic Ducru-Beaucaillou sense of purity and elegance, with medium to full-bodied richness and depth in its cassis and almost blue fruits as well as notes of cedary herbs, tobacco, and loamy earth. A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot raised in new oak, this balanced, endearing, mouth-filling 2017 deserves another 4-5 years of bottle age and will have another 40+ years of prime drinking. 97pts Dec 2023
One of the wines of the vintage in the Medoc, the 2017 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou comes from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot from tiny yields of 35 hectoliters per hectare. Brought up in new barrels, it offers stunning notes of pure creme de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, lead pencil, and crushed rocks. Showing a touch of spring flowers with air, full-bodied richness and depth, awesome tannin quality, and a laser-like level of precision and purity, it’s going to need a decade of cellaring yet will have 40-50 years of prime drinking. Hats off to proprietor Bruno Borie for another magical wine. 98pts Feb 2020

Deep purple-black in color, the 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou slowly unfurls to reveal beautifully fragrant notes of warm kirsch, wild blueberries, fresh red and black currants and violets with wafts of underbrush and Earl Grey tea. Medium-bodied, the palate has great freshness and elegance, with very well-played, plush tannins and bags of perfumed fruit, finishing on a lingering spicy note. The wine was aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels. The blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot.

Deep ruby in colour, the tannins are confident and there is a good building of layers and power despite the still-evident austerity. As it opens up, you get cigar box, vanilla bean, liquorice, black chocolate and layers of gourmet flavours after a carafe (we tried it with and without). No need to worry too much about that, as you're not going to want to be drinking this yet but it gives a good indication of the fact that this is going to progress well and steadily, and is an excellent example of the vintage. Bottled in July. It will be ready significantly before the 2016 but probably after the 2015. This has clear tension and a sense of purity to the fruit flavours. 100% new oak.
Tasted by Jane Anson (at LLC, 21 Nov 2019)
Part of St-Julien 2017: Top wines re-tasted after bottling

The 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou is racy, deep and opulently beautiful. In 2017, Ducru is very red-fruited and floral, with tons of inner sweetness and nuance to match its sumptuous, exotic personality. Mint, spice, chocolate and licorice accents add character as the 2017 gains brightness, aromatic purity and detail with a bit of air. Bruno Borie gave the 2017 18 months in 100% new oak. Along with Beychevelle, Ducru is the most flamboyant wine in Saint-Julien. Tasted two times.

The 2017 Ducru-Beaucaillou was bottled around 15 July 2019 after 18 months in 100% new oak. It offers seductive red and black fruit on the nose that is seamlessly integrated with the oak, touches of pressed iris flower and potpourri emerging with time and lending complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and wonderful acidity. This is classic Ducru through and through, quite effortless in style with a persistent, slightly lactic finish that might lack the ambition of a great vintage like 2016. For sheer drinkability, this hits the spot. Thus it will be a Ducru that should drink earlier than other vintages. Tasted twice with consistent notes. www.vinous.com

This has a warm and inviting feel, with mocha, Christmas pudding and blackberry and plum compote aromas and flavors flowing through atop fleshy, velvety structure. There’s a graphite edge along with some alluring spice accents, and this stays polished and lengthy in the end. - James Molesworth, winespectator.com, April 2018

One of the top Second Growths, Ducru has been run with great success by the inimtiable Bruno Borie since 2004. There is a lot to think about here, densely oiled, tight and brooding, but with real class and promise. Engaging. Really deep, ripe fruit, musk and spice. Complex. Really fine tannins, great purity of fruit and a sense of presence and drive. Quite rich and ripe - pure and balanced. Understated elegance. - April 2018

Very dark with black core. Super-refined dark fruit on the nose, ripe but not overly. Just a touch – and nicely – smoky. Chewy, deep tannin texture shot through with lovely juicy fruit, red and black. Lots of energy and the oak well in the background. Firm and chewy tannins and needs time but has a long fresh finish – lovely fresh fruit to the end that is entwined with the tannins to keep them moving across your palate. - Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, April 2018