Winemaker Notes
A focused and compact nose that first reveals kirsch and blueberry coulis, with nuances of cloves, Bourbon vanilla, dried black ink and smoky graphite slowly unfurling in the glass. The palate is composed of a dense core with a backbone of very fine-grained tannins enveloped in rich fruits, giving a suave silky texture to the wine. A vein of saline freshness weaves through the fruit and underscores the lingering spicy fruit finish. A wine with pedigree and panache.
Blend: 66% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The second wine of this great château, the 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on two-thirds Merlot with the balance mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, raised in 80% new French oak. Hitting 14% natural alcohol, its vivid purple hue is followed by stunning aromatics of cassis, blueberries, tobacco, graphite, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied on the palate, it brings plenty of concentration and structure yet is balanced and has a great mid-palate and outstanding length. If there was a ranking for the top second wines in Bordeaux, this would be in the top handful of releases.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 -
James Suckling
Such a youthful La Croix that’s full of bright blue fruit with lots of mineral tension. Violets, graphite and wet stones on the nose. Tight-grained and crunchy on the palate, with an almost full body and a long, fresh and compact finish. Firm, fresh and vibrant, with nicely chewy, stony tannins. It needs three to four years to come around. 66% merlot, 32% cabernet sauvignon and 2% petit verdot.
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Decanter
Bramble tones; fragrant and rich blackberry notes on the nose. A dark soul with depth and intensity, this has such richness and power, but restraint also. Concentrated with a directness and focus that drives it from start to finish aided by a linear vein of salinity, licorice and blackcurrant. Tannins are robust and grippy, giving an impressive structure that is imposing in the mouth but retains a suave and endearing quality. Such charm and potential.
Barrel Sample: 94 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 La Croix de Beaucaillou opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper and fresh mint, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit framed by chunky tannins, it's a blend of 66% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot.
Barrel Sample: 90-92
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An icon of balance and tradition, St. Julien boasts the highest proportion of classed growths in the Médoc. What it lacks in any first growths, it makes up in the rest: five amazing second growth chateaux, two superb third growths and four well-reputed fourth growths. While the actual class rankings set in 1855 (first, second, and so on the fifth) today do not necessarily indicate a score of quality, the classification system is important to understand in the context of Bordeaux history. Today rivalry among the classed chateaux only serves to elevate the appellation overall.
One of its best historically, the estate of Leoville, was the largest in the Médoc in the 18th century, before it was divided into the three second growths known today as Chateau Léoville-Las-Cases, Léoville-Poyferré and Léoville-Barton. Located in the north section, these are stone’s throw from Chateau Latour in Pauillac and share much in common with that well-esteemed estate.
The relatively homogeneous gravelly and rocky top soil on top of clay-limestone subsoil is broken only by a narrow strip of bank on either side of the “jalle,” or stream, that bisects the zone and flows into the Gironde.
St. Julien wines are for those wanting subtlety, balance and consistency in their Bordeaux. Rewarding and persistent, the best among these Bordeaux Blends are full of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, plum, tobacco and licorice. They are intense and complex and finish with fine, velvety tannins.