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  • Country ranking ?

    1 204
  • Producer ranking ?

    38
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    2020-2035
  • Food Pairing

    Beef

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The Story

This newcomer is a selection derived from our St-Julien vineyards. An affectionate and informative name that already tells wine lovers something about its positioning and its ambitions. 

Le Petit Ducru portends an introduction to the Borie signature, a courteous invitation to approach the qualities of its elders, Ducru-Beaucaillou and La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou; from its complexity to its structure, by way of its balance and its elegance. There is, of course, a family resemblance, a wonderful complicity between the three nectars. They know what they have in common: a rigorous technical process, drastic selection, demanding winemaking. Here, barrel ageing lasts for 12 months with one-third new oak. A Cabernet-Merlot blend and depending on the vintage, sometimes with a hint of Petit Verdot, varietal that we know to be a skillful sculptor.

 

A nod also to the history of the estate, specifically to one of the former owners, Bertrand Ducru (1770-1829), a brilliant and worldly merchant from the Bearn region of France, situated along the flanks of the western Pyrenees mountains. Powerful and well established, he bought the property in 1797 (16 Vendémiaire, year 6) and added his surname to that of the site, which then became “Ducru-Beaucaillou”. He hired the architect, Paul Abadie, graduate of the acclaimed Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris, to enhance the elegant Directory-period chartreuse. But above all, he invested heavily in the vineyards and the cellar. The wines quickly rose to the summit of the appellation and Ducru-Beaucaillou obtained unanimous recognition from the Place de Bordeaux, which later consecrated it with a place in the 1855 classification. 

 

Le Petit Ducru is a wine of balance and harmony. An elixir of youth. It is there, alive and well, a rendezvous with pleasure. Accessible from its earliest youth, uninhibited in its Chaplinesque antics. It will make for a happy dining companion in restaurants. It will make for a perfect marriage with poultry where it will bow down before its crispy, brown skin and envelop the steaming flesh with its tannins. 

Le Petit Ducru tastes of Sundays. Above all, it tastes of friendship.

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Vintage 2019

BORDEAUX VINTAGE 2019

When I visited Bordeaux in early March, Corona was a threat on the horizon and France was more concerned about an air traffic control strike. However, I was traveling to Bordeaux and had the chance to get a first taste of the 2019 vintage. I was looking forward to the en primeur tastings which were scheduled for March 26, 2020 but the tastings were canceled mid-March . I immediately contacted the different associations and wineries in Bordeaux and asked for samples.

The result was a small number of wines that arrived in Essen before France's lockdown made shipping rather difficult. These first samples of the 2019 vintage were tasted in impeccable conditions to ensure a fair and equal evaluation of all qualities. In fact, the samples proved that the opinion of certain Bordeaux personalities was right. Bruno-Eugène Borie of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou sees 2019 in line with the excellent vintages of 2016, 2010, 2009 and 2005.

Henri Lurton talks about his best vintage, as well as 2016, that he has ever vinified at Château Brane-Cantenac. Philippe Dhalluin of Château Mouton-Rothschild believes that the vintage is rich and abundant in quality and also in quantity. After a few smaller harvests, they returned to average production.

Emmanuel Cruse of Château d’Issan sees that 2019 has a lot in common with 2016 while preserving more freshness. It is a very good vintage but appearing at a very difficult time on the market. In fact, the start of this vintage was very positive. Soils like chalk and clay retained enough precipitation during the winter. Vineyards on these water-retaining soils had a huge advantage in the future growing period. With the exception of a wet June, the vintage benefited from a rather dry climatic situation, which made it possible to largely avoid diseases in the vines. No chance for powdery or downy mildew. Even the heat waves did not really harm the vines as the rain set in, always at the last moment but always early enough to avoid massive water stress and a slowdown in maturity. The late physiological maturity brought a lot of alcohol, but the wines show more freshness than in previous years.

Fabien Teitgen, Winemaker from Smith-Haut-Lafitte, associates this freshness with the good acidity “due to the cool night temperatures during the ripening period”. This fact is also good news for white wines. “They are the big surprise,” confides Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier.

At Château Coutet de Barsac, Philippe and Aline Baly harvested in three passes totaling 19 days of harvest. They judge the conditions to be rather ideal: “These climatic conditions generated a harvest whose quality is undeniably present. » The same samples made their way to Essen and I tasted them. More samples are being announced and will hopefully arrive during the current week. There will be a weekly update of my tasting notes, whenever the samples arrive.

Unfortunately, 2019 is coming in a difficult time, the Corona virus is scaring the world and making business more and more difficult. Commercial bays and new customs duties create a difficult environment for this vintage. However, we must not forget one thing: magnificent 2019s await us, wines with aging potential and charm that will survive all crises.

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

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Written Notes

Deep purple with opulent fruits, plums and cherries, layered with rich clove, mocha and vanilla bean aromas. Medium to full bodied with perfectly ripe, plush tannins enrobed with juicy fruits and spicy flavours that extend across the palate, and persist in a pure, berry fruit finish. Very suave.

Dark purple colour with violet hue and almost black core. Very expressive nose, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, mild spices. On the palate well strcutured with serious body and convincing length, lingering fruit in the finish. A juicy and fleshy wine for an early drinking, however with a very promising ageing potential. Freshness and precision.

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Origin

St.Julien, Bordeaux
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