Ducru Beaucaillou 2008 Ex-Chateau Case (750MLx3)

98 JD / 95+ RP / 95 WA / 95 DE

The finest showing I've ever seen for this beauty (and I've been lucky enough to drink plenty), the 2008 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou offers a still youthful vibrant hue as well as sensational aromatics of pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencils, crushed stone, graphite, and an undeniable sense of minerality. It’s concentrated, medium to full-bodied, has beautiful tannins, and a thrilling finish. This is a magical Saint-Julien that readers should snatch up. it's going to take another 4-6 years to hit full maturity and will evolve gracefully over the following 2-3 decades if well-stored. - Jeb Dunnuck

One of the stars of the vintage, and a remarkable achievement in 2008, with impressive richness, this dense purple colored wine is almost as opaque as the 2010. Spring flowers, crushed rocks, creme de cassis and some subtle oak are followed by a full-bodied, concentrated wine that transcends the vintage character in its power, richness, and aging potential. It also exhibits tremendous precision, purity, and depth of character. It is more forward than the 2010 is likely to be, but probably not as sumptuous as the 2009 will turn out to be. This is a wine to buy. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035. - Robert Parker

Tasted at the chateau, the 2008 just surpasses my expectations from barrel. It has great clarity on the airy nose with blackberry, a touch of briary, cedar and graphite. The palate is finely balanced on the entry but then segues into a dense middle with bold, forthright tannins but counterbalanced with ample freshness and acidity. It is -classic- in style, linear but more feminine than masculine, with cedar and a touch of white pepper on the aftertaste. This is a great wine from Bruno Borie, perhaps a little more restrained in style than recent vintages with great breeding and elan. Drink 2014-2035. - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate