La Croix Ducru Beaucaillou Saint Julien 2017

This wine has structure and dense tannins that come from the dominant Cabernet Sauvignon. Black-currant flavors are layered within the ripe structure of a fruity wine with a great future. Drink from 2024.

Coming mostly from a single parcel in the northern part of the estate, the 2017 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is a final blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot. It has a great nose of creme de cassis, crushed rock, lead pencil, and dried herbs. This gives way to a medium to full-bodied, elegant wine that has silky tannins, a great mid-palate, and bright acidity. Give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades.

This is not a second wine per se, as it consistently comes from a separate vineyard in Saint-Julien. The blend is usually around 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, but this year it has a high percentage of Merlot: 58%, with 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Croix de Beaucaillou has quite a spicy nose sporting cloves, anise, black pepper and fenugreek with a core of crushed blackberries and black currants plus wafts of underbrush and potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins and great freshness supporting the vivacious fruit, finishing long and earthy.

Inviting, featuring crushed loganberry and plum fruit flavors, mixed with warm anise and black tea notes. A solid graphite spine runs through the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.