Peter Maude Fine Wines
2018, Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou, SAINT-JULIEN
$89
The 2018 Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou, to give it its full name, was still "Lalande-Borie" when I tasted it from barrel. Aged for 12 months in 30% new oak, it has a pretty bouquet, less precocious than I remarked back then, with brambly black fruit, crushed rock and a light wilted iris scent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, the oak now nicely entwined, whereas before I thought that it might take 3-4 years to fully integrate. There is ample ripeness, though this remains classic in style, possessing fine delineation and just the right amount of sapidity to urge you back for another sip. 90 Neal Martin, Vinous (2021).