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.”