En Primeur Releases: 24 June 2021
Giles Cooper
24 June 2021
Discover today's 2021 En Primeur releases.
Ducru Beaucaillou 2020
One of the final big releases of the year sees Ducru Beaucaillou 2020 at GBP 1920. In celebration of its 300-year tercentenary, the wine will be adorned with a special label as pictured here.
Whilst Ducru has gained a reputation for being one of the most hedonistic, sensous wines of St Julien, recent vintages have focused more on class and panache, with extraordinary elegance and restraint. Indeed it was has been one of the most enjoyable wines to taste en primeur and the 2020, tasted via Zoom alongside owner Bruno Borie, utterly captured the majesty, power and elegance of this vintage with trifle-thick layers of rich fruit shot through with the signature epic freshness and zip. The vinous pairing of Messrs. Galloni and Martin have not yet tasted or published notes for the wine; however there are some excellent scores from elsewhere in the critical space including some top ratings from James Suckling and Jane Anson:
“Superb length and intensity. Very compact and seamless. Ethereal. Just goes on and on.” James Suckling
“An amazing Ducru, one of the wines of the vintage.” Jane Anson
Bruno Borie has been on a scorching run with Ducru Beaucaillou in the last 10 years. Since 2008, it carries an average Wine Advocate score of 95+, a sure sign that this is a winegrower at the very top of his game. Compound this reputed estate with its flamboyant, charismatic estate manager Bruno Borie and you have a winning partnership. Packing bundles of passion into each vintage Robert Parker comments that “Bruno Borie has done a remarkable job at Ducru Beaucaillou…if you haven't noticed yet, it's time to jump on the bandwagon.”
98-99pts James Suckling “Really perfumed and complex with blackberries, blackcurrants and flowers. Gorgeous cabernet sauvignon character. Full-bodied with really fine, polished tannins. Superb length and intensity. Very compact and seamless. Ethereal. Just goes on and on.”
97-99pts Jeff Leve “Richly colored, the wine delivers a complex nose of cigar box, tobacco leaf, wet forest floor, camphor, red and black currants, blackberry and creme de cassis. Supple, sensuous, elegant and concentrated, the wine focuses on its refined character, purity of fruit and silky textures. Long, vibrant and incredibly refined, the finish builds as it lingers. This gem should start to really unfurl after its 10th birthday and provide fabulous drinking for 25-35 years after that. Not as powerful as some recent vintages, instead this is a stunningly graceful Ducru Beaucaillou. Produced from blending 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, 13.5% ABV. Picking took place September 11 - September 30. Yields were low at close to 30 hectoliters per hectare.”
98pts Jane Anson, Decanter “An amazing Ducru, one of the wines of the vintage. Hugely persistent, chiselled and precise, yet succulent in its berry and cassis fruit character. The slate and pencil lead finish slows things down and grabs hold of you, I love the push-and-pull of the tannins. Always a confident and well-finessed wine, really flexing its muscles in 2020. 100% new oak barrels. 3.83pH.”
95-97pts LPB, robertparker.com “The 2020 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, aging for approximately 18 months in 100% new barriques. It has a pH of 3.83, 13.5% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 90. Opaque purple-black colored, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crushed blackcurrants, wild blueberries and boysenberries, leading to suggestions of chocolate mint, star anise, red roses and unsmoked cigars with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate delivers impactful, muscular black fruits with a firm frame of ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.”
GBP 1920 per case/12 IB
Other formats are available:
Halves – GBP 1940 per case/24 IB
Magnums – GBP 1930 per case/6 IB
Double magnums – GBP 2010 per case/3 IB
Imperials – GBP 1325 each IB