I tasted the 2019 Ducru Beaucaillou four times in 12-hour intervals from opening. It has a splendid bouquet centered around black fruit laced with graphite, Montecristo cigars and hints of sage and cedar. This is one of the most Pauillac-like Ducrus that I have encountered at this stage. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins, pitch perfect acidity and a sensual, satin-like texture that could seduce from miles away. There is a sense of completeness surrounding this Second Growth, charming you surfeit with nobility and outstanding in terms of persistence. Fabulous.

This year the blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. The alcohol weighed in at 14.2%, while the pH is 3.8 and the IPT is 88. It will mature for 18 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. Opaque purple-black in color, the 2019 Ducru-Beaucaillou explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of cr?me de cassis, blueberry pie and plum preserves plus hints of candied violets, dark chocolate, licorice, wild fungi, crushed rocks and tilled soil with a touch of mossy bark. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is a tightly wound coil poised to spring out with layer upon layer of minerals, rich black fruits and floral notes, framed by very firm, exquisitely ripe tannins and electric freshness, finishing long and incredibly layered. WOW!