Château Ducru Beaucaillou
Château Léoville Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1990
1990 vintage. Excellent fill and halfway saturated cork. Used a Durand but surmise a regular waiter's friend, wielded carefully, could have done the trick with the cork. Decanted and tasted after 30 mins, one hour and two hours. Some obvious sed but not troublesome or overtly noticeable. Original owner-château direct on original release. Super cold cellar because this was lagging noticeably behind other '90's and LB's. Bigger tannic structure (for a generally feminine-styled house) than anything save a Latour, Mouton, Ducru Left Bank property. Even more guts than Lynch-Bages or Pichon-Baron '90's currently stored above 55 or so degrees. Surprising but made sense. Light-medium body. Appropriate color. 3-4 years left in this stage unless larger format in play. Slight, fleeting burst of richness in the frontal palate and a tad brickish and then it just flowed on, without speed bumps. A little cocoa powder and cedar/tobacco. Suspect 750ml specimens not stored as cold/religiously will be showing more in the 9.0-9.1 range and farther down the backside of the bell curve. 10.26.24. — 4 months ago
Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru)
St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2003
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2003 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of ripe and slightly desiccated black and red fruits: cassis, mixed brambles, dark cherry, pipe tobacco, purple flowers, leather, graphite, some earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly savory. This is/was a rather unique vintage through Europe and yet, this is showing extremely well. Drink now with a brief decant and through 2038. — 12 days ago
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
La Croix Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
Balanced wine. Bought at Enoteca for ¥7,800. — 4 months ago
Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru)
Duluc de Branaire-Ducru Red Bordeaux Blend 2008
What a delicious 16 year old Bordeaux from Saint Julien.
Dark ruby in color with a wide brick rim.
Full-bodied with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing black fruits with cedar, licorice, coffee, light earth, herbs, spices, tobacco leaf and dark chocolates.
Elegant and easy drinking once it opens up. Needs 3 hours.
This second wine is drinking very nicely now, although not from a great vintage.
Good by itself as a sipping wine. Would also pair nicely with game meats or lamb dishes.
13% alcohol by volume.
92 points
$80. — 5 months ago
Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru)
St. Julien- Beychevelle Red Bordeaux Blend 1989
Just beautiful old, left bank BDX... But drink now — 2 months ago
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Le Petit Caillou St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2015
Black fruit and plummy Bordeaux. From the left bank but drinks like right. Incredibly soft tannins, drinking quite well now. — 7 months ago
Jay Kline
Poured into a decanter about 30min prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1985 was more recently acquired from the chateau and in pristine condition. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium visit with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated dark and red fruits: black currants, mixed brambles, tobacco, pencil shavings, some dried purple flowers, some green bell pepper, mushrooms, leather, some ferrous earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly savory. Elegant and beautiful this was such a fun and rewarding wine to follow as the hours rolled by. A very strong showing at 40 years young and not slowing down soon. Drink now through 2040. — 13 days ago