2010 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St Julien, Bordeaux

With loads of minerality, a terrific opaque purple color, and slightly more structure and tannin than either Poyferre or St.-Pierre (and thats saying something), this is a blockbuster, fabulous Ducru Beaucaillou that should be at its best a good decade from now and last 40-50 years. The proprietor is not alone in thinking this is the finest Ducru Beaucaillou since the 1961. The classic wet rock, creme de cassis, subtle oak and gravelly stoniness of the vineyard come through in this spectacular, full-bodied, gorgeously pure and intense effort. This is wine for the ages that should be forgotten for at least a decade.Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 28/02/2013

90% Cabernet Sauvignon. Same analysis as last year but very different from the 2009 – indeed very different from all recent vintages of Ducru – a return to something drier and more classical. It’s all about the quality of tannins, according to Bruno Borie. Very firm and solid and confident – all from terroir. You could stick a spoon up in it, but in a good way. Drier and more grown-up than in some previous years. Very long term. Perfect for those who seek something really serious. jancis_robinson_mw MW- jancis_robinson_mw.com, Apr 2011

Superb colour, an explosion of fruit above great depth and much more polished, deeper and fresher than the 2009, hard to imagine a better Ducru.

With loads of minerality, a terrific opaque purple color, and slightly more structure and tannin than either Poyferre or St.-Pierre (and that’s saying something), this is a blockbuster, fabulous Ducru Beaucaillou that should be at its best a good decade from now and last 40-50 years. The proprietor is not alone in thinking this is the finest Ducru Beaucaillou since the 1961. The classic wet rock, creme de cassis, subtle oak and gravelly stoniness of the vineyard come through in this spectacular, full-bodied, gorgeously pure and intense effort. This is wine for the ages that should be forgotten for at least a decade. Proprietor Bruno Borie thinks this wine is as superb as their 2009. Slightly more structured and less flamboyant than its older sibling, it is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot from the very best parcels of the vineyard. This wine tips the scales at 14% natural alcohol but has a normal pH of 3.6, which is one of the characteristics of this vintage (high alcohol, normal pH), which thus accounts for the freshness and precision found in most 2010s. 98+ robert_parker- Wine Advocate- Feb 2013 Representing 45% of their total production, the 2010 Ducru will certainly compete with the efforts produced in 2009, 2008, and 2005. It hit 14% natural alcohol, compared to 13.5% in 2009 and 2008. A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, the wine has a surprisingly lower pH (3.62) than the 2009, or the 2005 for that matter. A truly remarkable wine, with a dense purple color and a beautiful nose of creme de cassis, spring flowers and crushed rock, this full-bodied, sensationally concentrated wine has massive richness, high but very sweet tannin, and stunning purity and depth. Proprietor Bruno Borie seems to have pulled out all the stops in turning out an absolutely compelling effort that is the essence of Ducru Beaucaillou. 96-98+ robert_parker- Wine Advocate- May 2011