"Moderately saturated ruby-red. Aromas of redcurrant, cedar and tobacco. At once juicy and soft, with currant and tobacco flavors. Offers a silky texture and lovely volume but not quite the structure or grip of the 2002. But this is a lush, captivating claret. 91 points." (ST) May '04

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a Deuxième Grands Cru Classé in St.-Julien. One of the oldest estates in the Medoc, it dates back to the 13th century. The second half of the name derives from the terroir, which is covered with large stones, 'beau-caillou', literally 'beautiful stones'. Bertrand Ducru purchased the estate in 1795, adding his own name. The property changed hands several times over the decades and was purchased in the 1940s by the Borie family (who also own Grand Puy Lacoste).

Bruno Borie took over in 2003 and has elevated the quality to the current high level, making this one of the 'super second' estates. His personality is everywhere at the estate, including the distinctive pop art he installed in the cellars (tasting here feels a little incongruous, like visiting a rather louche nightclub).

The 75 hectares of vines are planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, averaging 35 years of age, at a density of 10,000 vines per hectare.

The second wine is La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou (recently re-named, previously known as La Croix de Beaucaillou). Lalande-Borie, a separate estate, ceased to exist from the 2018 vintage, the vines merged with the Ducru estate, becoming in effect a third wine, Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou. The Borie's also produce a wine from vines in the Haut-Médoc, Madame de Beaucaillou.

Borie has managed production down from an average of 20,000 cases per annum in the 1980s to around half that today, just one aspect of his pursuit of quality.