2016 La Croix de Beaucaillou - St. Julien AC

Decanter.com – 92 pts – EM: *Like all the wines in the Ducru-Beaucaillou stable, this is classic and polished, with 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 70 % new oak for 12 months. It’s not really a second wine; since 2005, it has come from a specific vineyard parcel near Leoville-Barton. The name has recently been changed to La Croix de Ducru-Beaucaillou. Lush, dense, velvety, seductive and seamless, with great purity and mineral-toned, it has the profile of a much grander wine – and a label designed by Jade Jagger. The plump, lively, charming mostly merlot 2016 Château Lalande-Borie is a better value, but as of the 2019 vintage is renamed Le Petit Ducru and made from younger vines.* - 04/2021

Falstaff Magazin – 93 pts - PM: *Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, breitere Randaufhellung. Schwarze Beeren, ein Hauch von Heidelbeeren, zart nach Nougat, frische Orangenzesten. Mittlere Komplexität, rotbeeriger Touch, feine Tannine, salzig-mineralisch, zitroniger Touch, bleibt gut haften, zitroniger Nachhall, wird von Reife profitieren.* - 03/2019

Vinum Magazin – 16/20 pts: *Saftig und dicht, geschmeidiges Tannin, Saft und Rasse, spürbare, aber nicht störende Eichenwürze.* - 06/2019

Weinwisser - 17/20pts - GL: *Dichtes Purpur mit Granatschimmer am Rand. Dichtes Schattenmorellenbouquet mit Heidelbeere und Lakritze, dahinter Cassisdrops. Am kräftigen Gaumen mit Veilchen und schwarzer Johannisbeere, sehniger Körper mit langem Finale.*

JancisRobinson.com - 16/20pts - JR: *Tasted blind. Glamorous fruit and very polished. Punches above its weight. Sleek.* - 01/2020

JamesSuckling.com - (94-95)pts - JS: *This is very tight and focused with blackberries, blackcurrants and licorice. Lots of crushed stones, too. Full-bodied, tightly wound and pretty. Exciting second wine from Ducru.* - 04/2017

Vinous.com – 92 pts – AG: *The 2016 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is dark, dense and quite powerful, with plush, silky tannins that wrap around a core of rich fruit. Black cherry, chocolate, menthol, leather and spice, espresso and cedar all add character. This sumptuous, racy Saint-Julien will drink well right out of the gate. Readers should expect a potent, concentrated wine. The 2016 spent 12 months in oak, 70% new. Tasted two times.* - 12/2018

Vinous.com – 93 pts – NM: *The 2016 Croix de Beaucaillou has a very attractive bouquet of high-toned but controlled blackberry and blueberry fruit neatly enmeshed with some quality new oak. The medium-bodied palate delivers fine-boned tannins, well-judged acidity and a silky-smooth, sensual finish that lingers long in the mouth. This is a very impressive 2016. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.* - 01/2020