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2003 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Removed from a subterranean, temperature and humidity controlled residential cellar; Purchased at auction; Consignor is second owner

12 available
Bid *

Light label condition issue

Removed from a subterranean, temperature and humidity controlled residential cellar; Purchased at auction; Consignor is second owner

8 available
Bid *
Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

97Jeb Dunnuck

...incredibly pure and balanced, with medium to full-bodied richness as well as textbook darker fruits, smoked tobacco, dried flowers, and a beautiful sense of minerality...nothing is out of place and the overall impression is a ripe, balanced, utterly classic Médoc...

95Decanter Magazine (points)

...toasted notes intertwined with a delicate array of dark berries, spices, graphite, and liquorice. It's medium to full-bodied with nicely integrated oak aromas and delivers immense complexity and character. Black berries and spices with aeration. The palate is fleshy and has velvety tannins and long, penetrating finish.

94The Wine Advocate

...reveals opulent notes of Indian spices, cigar box, sandalwood and licorice with a crème de cassis and plum preserves core plus a hint of rose oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm, chewy texture and lovely freshness delivering a very long, spicy finish.

94Wine Spectator

Alluring aromas and flavors of warm fig bread, espresso, roasted mesquite and blackberry confiture are fleshy and impressively rendered, with a noticeable plum skin and toothy loamy edge.

94James Suckling

Lots of aromas of roasted fruit, such as blueberries and raisins, and spices. It has full body with plenty of velvety tannins and a long, slightly chewy finish.

93Vinous / IWC

...has a ripe and opulent bouquet with lavish black fruit, fresh fig, dates and a touch of liquorice...palate is well balanced with supple, rounded tannins. There is a real candied essence...with quite a pronounced liquorice finish that you want to go back to.

93.1CellarTracker

92Stephen Tanzer

Sexy nose offers superripe currant, raspberry, graphite and coconut. Lush, very rich and fine-grained.

91Wine Enthusiast

... solid, powerful wine packed with tannins and heavy black fruits.... this wine is still knitting itself together. But in future years, watch for the generosity, the richness as well as the finesse and freshness.

15.5Jancis Robinson

PRODUCER

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a Second-Growth estate in the St.-Julien appellation. The estate’s history goes back centuries, and five families have owned and operated it over many generations. Today the 128-acre estate is owned by the Borie family, who purchased it in 1941. The family also owns Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Haut-Batailley. Ducru-Beaucaillou means “beautiful stones,” and the estate was named after the impressive, large stones in the region. Vineyards are planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. About 220,000 bottles are produced annually. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “the wine of Ducru-Beaucaillou is the essence of elegance, symmetry, balance, breed, class and distinction.”

REGION

France, Bordeaux, St.-Julien

Saint-Julien is the smallest of the four main Médoc appellations with 2,175 acres of vineyards. It is just south of Pauillac on the left bank of the Gironde, and although it has no First Growth châteaux, its 11 Classified Growth estates are widely admired. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that winemaking in Saint-Julien from all classifications “is consistently both distinctive and brilliant.” He adds it is Médoc’s “most underrated commune.” The best-known estates are Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Poyferré, Léoville Barton and Gruaud Larose, and most of those have riverside estates. The soil in this appellation is gravelly with clay. Cabernet Sauvignon is the main grape grown, and it is blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and sometimes small amounts of Petit Verdot.

VINTAGE

2003 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou