TNs Do the Ducru

A Tasting of Wines of Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou
Fabio Piccolo Fiore Ristorante, NYC
November 10, 2011

It was lot of good fun with great company when 7 Bordeaux geeks got together to revisit the not-so glitzy, but definitely not lacking in class and elegance, wines from this 2nd Growth estate in Saint-Julien. Thanks to Dale for getting this dinner rolling with his effort. Unfortunately we missed a regular attendee due to car troubles, as well as the 1995 vintage. We also missed Matt, the original organizer, who’s moved to NZ.

2007 Dom. Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet “Les Vergers” 1er
An excellent wine to gather around with. Ripe, but high in lemon acidity, and long lingering tasty finish. Apples and minerals. A good wine to remember and toast Matt‘s birthday with. A-

1970 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
This was my WOTN. Fresh-looking, Bordeaux red, with plenty of leather and cigar in its sexy bouquet. Specks of pepper amidst ripe and plump core of red fruit. This had Saint-Julien stamped all over it in a truly elegant manner. A

1983 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
A throwback in style, but was a little harsh with a touch more of green vegetable. Came across as less ripe than the others. Moderate length. B

1998 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
Another wine that was quite lean on the fruit and with lower level of acidity. But, this one was well structured and was pleasing without over-compensating for in any of its other components. Understated elegance. B+

1996 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
Tightest among the wines this evening. Big and tannic at first pour. I’ve re-poured until the end of the dinner and was relieved as it showed a little more complexity, a lot of power and hinted of good things to come with proper aging. My remaining bottles will stay in offsite for many, many years. B+

1982 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
Showing complex tertiary notes with leather, tobacco and minerals. A smooth, medium-bodied, classy Bordeaux. More feminine than any of the other bottles. That slight vegetal note that I seem to pick up at every bottle tonight and which imho completes the wines, was present. Great with my veal chop. A-

2000 La Croix de Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
A last-minute addition as the 1st wine bottle from 1966 was deemed dead upon un-corking. Lean and lighter in texture than any of the reds tonight. This 2nd wine from the estate still showed that general vintage 2000 taste to it with its ripeness and good balance. A nice claret, but not in the same league as the other reds that we had tonight. B

2000 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien
I had to ask how a long this wine was decanted for (and it was for a good portion of the day just before our dinner). This was showing very well, with layers of ripe black and blue fruit. Full-bodied and muscular, this was a well-made wine representing a stellar vintage. A-

1988 Ch. Mayne des Carmes, Sauternes
The 2nd wine from Rieussec. This was a light sweet wine that was simple and more refreshing than anything else. Reminded me more of a sweet Loire or German. I thought it delivered by complementing, without distracting from, the night’s featured wines from Ducru Beaucaillou. B


Overall assessment: a very good showing by one of the region’s estate that doesn’t seem to draw, nor need, the attention that its more talked-about neighbors appear to get a decent amount of. It definitely deserves all the “quiet” respect that it gets by being consistent with its classy and understated style.

my take was mostly similar to Ramon’s, though I liked the '83 a lot more than he did. I thought the '83 and the '98 were the qpr surprises. And thank to Ramon for arranging restaurant.

Seven good geeks gathered last night at Fabio Piccolo Fiore for a vertical of Ducru-Beaucaillou (we were supposed to be 8, but car trouble knocked out one friend). Nice table, a couple of service glitches, but that veal chop is fun.

Opener was the 2007 Ramonet “Les Vergers” Chassagne-Montrachet 1er. Table seems to have divided luck with Ramonet and PremOx, but my experience has been quite iffy, so I’m in camp of drinking up early. Not too painful to drink this early- lemon and pit fruits, herbs (though not mint!), a touch of oak. Nice way to start (and to revisit when the crab salad came around). B+

On to the reds:
1966 Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien)
I never actually tasted, a sniff was enough, a quick trip to Madeira. Too bad, because good bottles of this are quite nice.

1970 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien)
Double-decanted in afternoon. Showing well, rather plush black fruit on palate, a touch of animal, some complex tertiary aromas of cigarbox/tobacco/cedar family. Tangy acids, resolved tannins. B+/A-

1983 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien)
This was quite lovely, elegant and long. A-

1998 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien)
This was really showing well for RB 1998. Young but approachable, drink now or wait. Midbodied, elegant, tasty. B+

1996 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien)
I thought this most tight wine of the night. You can feel the weight and density, but most of this wine is in reserve. I think it will be spectacular in 10-15 years. B- for now, could easily be in A territory.

1982 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien)
This has the '82 ripeness, but it’s balanced by good acids and still has some ripe tannin. Medium to full bodied, long, drinking quite well in my opinion. A-

2000 Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou (St Julien)
Big, powerful, quite primary, I think it’ll be very very good, but this and the 1996 were my least favorite for drinking now. B/B- for now, A- potential.

2000 La Croix de Beaucaillou (St Julien)
Chris realized when he decanted '66 that it was deader than a MP parrot, so grabbed this. Interesting comparison with the 2000 first wine, similar profile, but this was more easygoing and giving at moment. B/B+

1988 Ch. Mayne Des Carmes
Ramon says this is the 2nd wine of Rieussec (now known as Carmes de Rieussec). It was a nice end to the evening, with that lifting '88 acidity, though I thought it a bit foursquare. Maybe not complex, but good freshness and balance. B/B+

Fun night. I could have summed up all the Ducrus with “elegant” and “balanced”
Thanks all

Grade disclaimer: I’m a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn’t drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

I had the '70 Ducru recently and liked it but found it a bit tired. The fruit was starting to go IMO–it probably would have been better 10 years ago.

No great wines only great bottles deadhorse luckily ours was flirtysmile

many well stored 70’s (including “lesser” properties) are drinking well today.

Thanks Ramon & Dale for organizing.

66…DOA, Top Shoulder fill, good capsule, satured cork (never leaked a drip, inside capsule clean)looked perfect, Sh&^ happens.
70…Classic Bordeaux lead pencil on the nose, classy and elegant. Soft black fruits, long and elegant. easy A.
83…a real suprise, in a great place now. very soft and polished. B+
98…another pleasant suprise. real bright clean vibrant fruit, classy and elegant, sexy wine but be forewarned it is light on it’s feet. This is Burgundy drinkers Bordo. A-
96…Serious wine and still a BABY. Not giving at the moment but you can just tell it’s all there. A for what it will be.
82…had some of the 82 ripeness but has firmer tannins than other 82’s, kind of like the 82 LLC which would be fun to see next to each other. Super long finish. This and the 96 demand red meat (we had veal chops, YUMMY ones). A
00 La Croix next to 00 Ducru…these are earily similar with the Ducru having more weight and depth of concentration on the palate.
Both have 00 polish. Bright black fruit. Polished classy well made wine. Both need time at least 5 years on LaX and 10 years on DB.
I should have bought a case of the LaX [swearing.gif] B+ and A