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Ducru-Beaucaillou- a Bordeaux ValueBy Darryl BeesonThe second growth Château Ducru-Beaucaillou sits between the village of Beychevelle and the Gironde river's estuary, where the Borie family has based their wine operations for sixty years. Just before the war, the vineyard became run down and many Bordeaux critics felt it no longer deserved its place as a second growth. In 1942 the Borie family purchased the vineyard and hoisted it to an altitude that it had never known before. Though a second growth, Ducru has garnered membership in the unofficial compliment of "Super Seconds." This house produces some of Bordeaux's best values. Some describe the wines from St. Julien as being the Burgundies of Bordeaux, referring to their velvety character compared to the tannic assertiveness associated with Bordeaux reds. The deep gravel in this portion of Bordeaux's Médoc coax the perfect expression from the grapes. The gravely terroir within Beaucaillou's 50-hectares vineyard are the beautiful stones ("beau caillou" in French) which give the property its name. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou's wine is predictably deeply colored, with a velvety fruitiness, and a soft but firm tannic structure. Pair these wines with whole chicken roasted with herbs, lamb sausage with rosemary new potatoes, or veal in an olive oil based sauce. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St. Julien, Bordeaux 2001 A sip is like silk and the flavors may be too subtle to a Napa cabernet drinker. There are blackberries, subtle spices, vanilla/oak and nice ripeness of the fruit. The blend includes 30% merlot and 5% petit verdot, along with the cabernet sauvignon. Supple yet full-bodied, a typically fine Saint Julien requires eight to ten years to show its full potential. (Pronunciation: Sha-TOH doo-Kroo boh-kah-YOO) Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St. Julien, Bordeaux 1998 In another three years, this classic St. Julien will reveal the full potential of its rich and fruity, elegant flavors of cassis, vanilla and ripe blackberries. Presently, this red is very soft and delicate. Château Lalande-Borie, St. Julien, Bordeaux 2001 Beautiful ripe fruit expression of cassis and blackberry is found in the first velvety sip. This is a very elegant Bordeaux for the price and is more approachable early-on than its big brother, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. Château Lalande-Borie was created almost entirely in 1970 by the purchase from a 1855 classified 3rd growth of a 30-hectare parcel of land in the St. Julien appellation. Important work was undertaken in preparing the parcels of land and the vineyard was only planted after a very meticulous choice of grapes and the graft-stock to be used had been made. With a fairly pronounced relief which ensures excellent drainage, the soil is composed of deep layer of large-grain gravel. The name “Lalande-Borie” is taken from the name of the parcel on the land-register and the name of a great winegrowing family, settled in Médoc for over a century. Mr. Jean-Eugène Borie and his son François-Xavier manage the estate. The wines of Lalande-Borie are made and aged in the same spirit as those of the other Borie family estates. La Croix de Beaucaillou, St. Julien, Bordeaux 1998 The blend is mostly cabernet sauvignon along with merlot, usually in a 2:1 ratio depending upon the particular vintage. There are soft and inviting flavors of blackberry, cassis and a hint of vanilla/spice from the oak barrels. This complex and affordable Bordeaux is ready to drink. (Pronunciation: lah CWAH duh boh-kah-YOO) Darryl Beeson travels the world looking for great wine values. In the past, he has been wine steward or cellar master for The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Voltaire, and The Adolphus Hotel. Not one for stuffiness or secret handshakes relative to wine, this Texan might now be described as a "ki-yi-yippee sommelier, sommelier." Beeson reports on wine, spirits, food and travel for numerous publications. |
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