The 2023 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a jewel of wine. Soaring aromatics are immediately captivating. A rush of red/purplish fruit, mocha, new leather and well-judged oak build as the 2023 shows off its vertical structure and total class. There's plenty of Ducru opulence, but everything is in the right place. I must admit, I like the lower-alcohol vintages at Ducru quite a bit, as there is less oak extraction, which in turn yields wines of exquisite finesse and class. A highlight.

Coming from the gravelly soils of Saint-Julien, the 2023 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot, brought up all in new barrels. This deep purple-hued beauty offers pure cassis and subtle red and blue fruits intermixed with graphite, violets, and freshly sharpened pencil nuances. Medium to full-bodied, it has a layered, beautifully balanced mouthfeel that carries ripe, polished tannins, ample mid-palate depth, integrated acidity, and a gorgeous finish. It brings a terrific sense of richness, depth, and opulence while still staying in the classic style of the vintage. Drink 2028-2058.

Flowers, mint, cocoa, espresso, black cherries, blackberries, plum sauce, and Asian spices create the aromatic perfume. On the palate, the texture is elegant. There is a supple, creamy character to the fruit that is hard to find in 2023. The berries are ripe, clean, and pure, with a racy freshness, which is the key to the vintage. The long, classic, exquisite finish feels refined as it crosses your palate and lingers. The finish holds your attention for close to 50 seconds. Ducru Beaucaillou continues its unstoppable roll of fabulous vintages. Produced from blending 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 15% Merlot. Drink from 2030-2065

Lovely vibrant purple colour in the glass. Smells fragrant and lifted, a combination of sweet and ripe and fresh blackcurrant and black cherries on the nose with a touch of dark chocolate. Smooth and so silky, but rich too, there’s depth and weight but not too much. I love the texture - grippy and filling no doubt, it coats the mouth with a crushed velvet texture, you feel the ripeness but there’s such lift and effortless purity of fruit that it feels fresh too. No extra fat, but equally it’s not too lean, not strict at all, where many are. Not hollow, not light, there’s no let up. Juicy cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry with lots of liquorice on the finish. Feels well crafted. Maybe not as immediately moreish as some, but this is really well made. Feels elegant and stylish.7pH. 89 IPT. Ageing 18 months, 100% new oak. 12% press.

This has aromas of blackberries and blackcurrant, as well as graphite and flint. Some gunpowder. It’s full-bodied with extremely refined tannins, a creamy character and al-dente fruit at the finish. Crunchy, succulent and linear. Mineral edge to it, like licking a stone. Energetic. 83% cabernet sauvignon and 17% merlot.

The 2023 Ducru-Beaucaillou matured in 100% new oak for a planned 18 months has a less forceful bouquet than the 2022 last year and consequently shows more refinement and poise. The scents don't come barging out of the blocks but they creep up on you. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry. Showing moderate depth it’s quite linear in style and grippy. A faint touch of bell pepper emerges on the classically styled finish that reminds me of some of the old vintages of Ducru-Beaucaillou. This is the strictest vintage I have encountered in some time.

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. Cask sample. Deep purple-black colour. Better on the palate at the moment, the nose a little wayward. Lovely textural feel on attack, the tannins plentiful but velvety and smooth. Quite ample but also long and driven. Good freshness as well. Ageing potential. (JL)