Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 2016

Description

”Origins Appellation dorigine controlee of Saint-JulienGrand cru classe in 1855 The origins of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou lie in the 18th century, specifically 1720. It owes its name to the beautiful large pebbles / stones that characterise its terroir, which offers exceptional wine-making conditions that translate into the finesse and elegance of its wines. Like the greatest of the grands crus classes that stretch along the estuary from Margaux in the south to Saint-Estephe in the north, this estate is perched on a splendid Medoc site with incomparable views over the Gironde.It is one of the only castles in Bordeaux to be built over its cellars, and one of the few estates producing a grand cru classe still inhabited by its owners. The Borie family has owned this estate for over sixty years. Jean-Eugene Borie SA runs the estate which belongs to Mrs Jean-Eugene Borie, her daughter Sabine Coiffe and her son Bruno Eugene Chairman of the Board.Terroir the oenologists notes The topography and geology of the terroir of Ducru-Beaucaillou is quite remarkable in many ways and is highly suited to the production of great wines. Moreover, its immediate proximity to the Gironde estuary plays a key role in the microclimate of this vineyard. The huge amount of water moved by the tides four times a day act as airconditioners providing heat in winter and coolness in summer. In this vast estuary which stretches to almost 4 miles at this point, huge masses of air are moved, contributing to the temperate climate and generally sparing the local vineyards the ravages of frost like in 1991 and hailstorms with the historic exception of 2003.The communal terroir of Saint-Julien 800 hectares is characterised by a layer of Garonne, or Gunz, gravel dating from the early Quaternary period. This gravel is blown by the wind from east to west, ending up as tiny white gravel stones and sand on the western side of the area coming under the appellation. The 75-hectare vineyard of Ducru-Beaucaillou lies on the eastern edge of this great communal terroir, near the river and among the deepest layers of Quaternary gravel stones.The advantages offered by the stones include enhancing drainage of the soil, reflecting sunlight onto the closely planted grapes, storing daytime heat to recycle it at night, and forming a protective layer that stops the ground from drying out during summer heat waves and other dry periods. The vineyard the wine-makers opinion Ducru-Beaucaillous 75 hectares are planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot Noir. The average age of the vines is 35. Over time, fertility is moderated and a root network develops reaching up to 6 metres deep, both reducing the effect of climatic excess and increasing the take-up of nutrients from the soil and subsoil. Meticulously exploring the poor, arid soil to find the necessary nutrients and water, the roots carry back the trace elements which give the wine its uniqueness this is the essence of the terroir of Ducru-Beaucaillou.The high plantation density 10,000 vines per ha. has many advantages. It reduces the production of each plant while creating competition between the vines that will search deeper down into the soil to find their nutriment vines must suffer in order to produce. It also generates a microclimate with many an advantage- Maximizing the leaf surface per hectare and therefore the rainwater consumption which are particularly profuse in our Atlantic climate- Creating ideal conditions for the grapesThe wine-making process the cellar masters opinion The grapes are all harvested manually. They are sorted in the vines on mobile tables to avoid contact between unhealthy and healthy grapes during transport to the vat room.The vinification of each plot is done individually to optimise the choice of blends. Moreover, the fermentations are carried out separately and customized to take account of terroir, grape variety and vintage characteristics. We generally operate gentle extraction and keep the must at traditional temperatures with moderate lengths and frequencies of pumping-over.The press drains off continuously into barrels to facilitate the selection of the press-wine batches. Malolactic fermentation is managed in vats for optimal control. The wine is barrelled in dulyidentified individual batches immediately after malolactic fermentation.Blending takes place during the first racking operation; for Ducru Beaucaillou, between 50 and 80% of new barrels are used according to the richness of the vintage. The barrels 225L Bordeaux barrels, French oak are supplied by 5 carefully selected cooperages giving every guarantee. The wine is matured for 18 months in accordance with Medoc traditions for classified growths. Bottling is performed with special care in regard to both oenological controls and homogenisation of theoverall batch. The 5 cork makers supplying the estate have signed a detailed and stringent quality charter.” – Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou*97-100/100 Wine Spectator*97-99/100 Wine Enthusiast