Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Second Grand Cru Classé in 1855, is one of the leading estates in the Saint-Julien appellation. Its name refers to the gravel soils that characterize its terroir and shape the identity of its wines.
The history of the château dates back to the 13th century. However, its true rise began in 1795 when it was acquired by Bertrand Ducru, who appended his name to that of the estate. His investments in the renovation of the cellars and vineyard were crowned with success in 1855 during the famous classification of the Universal Exhibition.
Subsequently, the property passed into the hands of the Johnston family, to whom, through Nathaniel Johnston and his manager Ernest David, we owe the invention of Bordeaux Mixture (in 1878). Since 1941, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou has been owned by the Borie family. Bruno-Eugène Borie, the third generation, is now at the head of the estate.
The Ducru-Beaucaillou vineyard covers 160 hectares, of which 105 are dedicated to the grand vin. Its proximity to the Gironde estuary creates a microclimate that protects the vines from frost and hail.
The terroir is characterized by a layer of Günz gravel 6 to 8 meters deep, resting on a tertiary substrate composed of Oligocene muds and Eocene limestone deposits. These gravels ensure optimal vineyard drainage. They release the heat stored during the day at night, allowing for good ripening of late-ripening grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon (70% of the vineyard). The grape blend is completed by Merlot (25%) and Petit Verdot (5%). The planting density reaches 10,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vineyard is 40 years.
The estate practices sustainable viticulture. Herbicides have been replaced by mechanical weeding and controlled grass cover. Chemical fertilizers have given way to manure and composts, and pheromones have replaced insecticides to combat grapevine moths. The harvest is exclusively manual, followed by sorting of the bunches on mobile tables directly in the vineyard, to avoid any contamination.
Vinification is characterized by gentle extractions with moderate pump-overs. Malolactic fermentation is managed in vats for optimal control, and press wines are carefully selected. The grand vin is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. The percentage of new wood varies significantly depending on the vintage, ranging from 50 to 80% and potentially reaching 100% (as in 2022). The barrels come from five carefully selected coopers.
Two other wines are produced by the Borie estates. Le Petit Ducru, sourced from other plots in the Saint-Julien appellation, predominantly Merlot. And, La Croix de Beaucaillou, the second wine made from the Château's young vines, also predominantly Merlot.
As the estate proclaims, the grand vin of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a wine of grace, silk, and lace.