Château Ducru Beaucaillou 1978 (75cl) History The estate Château Ducru-Beaucaillou was purchased by Francois Borie in 1941 and has remained in the family since along with the family's other estates Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Haut-Batailley. Today the estate is managed by Bruno Borie. Vineyard Ducru-Beaucaillou's vineyards consist of 50 hectares of well drained gravel with stones up to 2.5 inches in diameter. (Beaucaillou means beautiful stones.) The vineyards are planted in Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (5%), and Petit Verdot (5%). The vines' average age in 2005 was 38 years. Wine Ducru-Beaucaillou produces two wines. The grand vin called Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, and a second wine produced since 1995 to which lesser-quality lots are relegated, La Croix de Beaucaillou. The wines are aged for 18 months in 50% to 80% new oak barrels according to the richness of the vintage, fined with egg whites, lightly filtered and then bottled. The 1975 vintage ...... Robert Parker 87 points "I have never been a fan of this wine. I lost confidence in it when it was around ten years of age because of its hard, angular, austere, tannic style. In the most recent tasting, the wine exhibited more ripe fruit than I had previously noticed. There is still plenty of astringent, aggressive tannin, but the balance is better, and the wine reveals a complex, earthy, cedar, curranty nose with dried fruit and herb components, full body, and a classic, old style personality. It displays more finesse and character than it did at a younger age. Like many 1975s, it will keep for 20+ years ... but will the fruit hold up?" Wine Advocate #103 (Feb 1996) Find this wine at www.winestore.co.uk Price: £94.46 (Including VAT at 20%)