From the illustrious terroir of Saint-Julien, La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou 2015 expresses the quintessence of a great left bank wine, combining aromatic intensity, structural precision and perfectly channelled energy. As the second wine of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, it inherits the same strict selection and attention to detail as its elder, while offering a more immediate reading of the house style. The sunny, harmonious 2015 vintage enabled optimal maturity, yielding silky tannins and brilliant fruit depth. On deep Garonne gravel soils where the vines have rooted for decades, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a hint of Petit Verdot converse, delivering a generous texture, a straight spine and a long finish edged with noble spice and cigar-box nuances. Hand-harvested, and aged 15 months in French oak barrels, this Saint-Julien combines density and freshness, with a tasty length that calls for the table. Praised by international critics for its poise and expression, it sits in time with serenity, offering today a precise charm and a clear promise of longevity. In the glass, one finds the Ducru-Beaucaillou aesthetic: that Médoc uprightness, measured voluptuousness and attention to detail that magnifies every sip.

Blend and winemaking

The 2015 is built on a finely tuned blend, where Cabernet Sauvignon provides the backbone and aromatic thread, Merlot brings flesh and suppleness, and Petit Verdot a spicy lift. The confirmed proportions for this vintage, 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, deliver an impeccably balanced wine. The vines, approximately 30 years old on average, thrive on deep Garonne gravel soils that promote drainage and concentrate ripeness. The harvest is hand-harvested, ensuring rigorous selection of the berries. La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou then benefits from a 15 months' ageing in French oak barrels, allowing the wine to refine its contours, polish its tannins and develop integrated oaky nuances. This patient maturation respects the fruit, preserves freshness and establishes an aromatic expression where the precision of the oak supports, without ever dominating, the nobility of the grape varieties and the purity of the Saint-Julien terroir.

Tasting notes

• Colour : Deep garnet with purple highlights, clear and intense, whose brilliance signals good concentration and still-vibrant youth.
• Nose : A tightly woven bouquet of ripe black fruits, blackcurrant and blackberry, supported by violet, cocoa bean, gentle spices and a cigar-box register. Notes of fine wood and cedar intertwine, bringing depth and complexity.
• Palate : An ample, caressing entry, creamy texture, fine and silky tannins. The structure is upright, carried by measured freshness. Persistent, savoury finish edged with spices, light tobacco and a return of blackcurrant.

Serving temperature and tips

Serve between 16 and 18°C in large tulip glasses to fully open the bouquet. Decanting for 1 hour enhances the fruit expression and the harmony of the ageing. The structure of the vintage allows drinking today for those seeking the charm of 2015, but the ageing potential is assured for 15 to 20 years, with a suggested peak from 2027. Store bottles on their sides, away from light, at a stable temperature to preserve aromatic integrity and the brightness of the fruit. This service ritual reveals the grace of the Saint-Julien terroir and the precision of the Ducru-Beaucaillou house.

Food pairings

• Grilled red meats : dry-aged côte de boeuf, short jus with Kampot pepper.
• Poultry and duck : pink duck breast, blackcurrant reduction and parsnip mousseline.
• Game : venison fillet, sautéed chanterelles and creamy polenta.
• Lamb : herb-confit shoulder, robust jus, gratin dauphinois.
• Mushrooms and truffle : porcini risotto, shavings of black truffle in season.

Occasions to enjoy

La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou 2015 accompanies chosen moments, when time stretches and the table becomes a stage for conversation and flavours. Its poise, aromatic accuracy and caressing texture invite celebration of the art of living, between generosity and precision. It is given with pride, shared with those who know how to listen to a great Saint-Julien, and kept to mark moments that matter.

• For a French gourmet dinner where the wine leads the dialogue with characterful dishes.
• At a Sunday lunch, around a piece of beef and roasted root vegetables.
• As a gift for an enthusiast, to mark an occasion and offer assured ageing potential.

Characteristics

• Name : La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou 2015
• Appellation : Saint-Julien AOC
• Type : Red wine
• Vintage : 2015
• Grape varieties : Cabernet Sauvignon 52%, Merlot 45%, Petit Verdot 3%
• Alcohol : N.C.
• Ageing : 15 months in French oak barrels
• Volume : N.C.
• Ageing potential : 15 to 20 years, recommended peak from 2027
• Serving temperature : 16–18°C