2020, Château Madame de Beaucaillou, HAUT-MÉDOC

Bordeaux Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot.

The 2020 Madame de Beaucaillou was picked 11-30 September, matured 20% in new oak for an expected 12 months. It displays good intensity on the nose: blackberry, iodine and iris petals scents, just a scintilla of honey. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, displaying fine depth. The judicious use of new oak allows the black fruit to shine on the finish, with hints of pencil lead on the aftertaste. This is well worth seeking out. 89-91 Neal Martin, Vinous (2021).

The 2020 Madame de Beaucaillou exhibits notes of cassis, pencil shavings, plums and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively palate that's structured around youthfully firm, chalky tannins. It should reward a bit of patience. It's derived from some 50 hectares of vineyards in Listrac and Cussac. 89+ William Kelley, Wine Advocate (2023).

Made from the vineyards that Ducru-Beaucaillou owns in the Haut-Medoc, the 2020 Madame de Beaucaillou is a blend of 66% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. The alcohol is 13.5% and the pH is 3.68. It is set to age for 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% new. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it strolls out of the glass with ready-for-business notes of warm black plums, blackberry pie and kirsch, plus hints of menthol, graphite and wild thyme. The medium-bodied palate is wonderfully expressive, featuring soft tannins and acidity, finishing with a spicy kick. 88-90 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (2021).

A new label that uses all vineyards owned by the Borie family outside of St-Julien - so those in Cussac, Listrac and a small portion of Moulis (both Lalande-Borie and Ducluzeau are now in here). Careful construction helps balance what are fairly tight tannins with savoury plum and blackberry fruits. Harvest from September 11. Concentrated and fresh, touches of tobacco leaf and woodsmoke as it opens. A yield of 22hl/ha, 20% new oak. 90 Jane Anson, Decanter (2021).

Medicinal herbs and dark fruits - smells forward and nuanced with a soft perfumed element too. A gourmet style with bright acidity and a saline tang. There’s focus, freshness and underlying power. A serious wine with a full body, minty freshness and structure. Plush, succulent, perhaps not overly complex but it really delivers for the price and will age. Firm and grippy finish. Snap this up! 92 Georgina Hindle, Decanter (2023). 

Drinking Window: 2023 - 2033