Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou 2022
In Saint-Julien, Le Petit Ducru represents the most immediate expression of the Château Ducru-Beaucaillou universe, Second Grand Cru Classé in 1855 and owned by the Borie family. This cuvée comes from selected plots of the estate and its viticultural environment, with the ambition to maintain the precision and distinction of the house in a style more accessible from its youth. The deep gravel soils of the appellation play an essential role in the finesse of the Cabernet Sauvignon, while the more clayey areas bring more flesh to the Merlot. The 2022 vintage, warm and dry, required great mastery of maturities to preserve freshness and balance. The old vines and deep soils particularly resisted these conditions well, producing concentrated but balanced grapes. The wine thus retains a very Saint-Julien identity, with a clear structure, precise black fruit, and a fine tannic touch. The 2022 Petit Ducru presents itself as a generous, elegant, and already expressive red, while having a good capacity for aging.
The 2022 blend is based on a majority of Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon and a small proportion of Petit Verdot. Merlot brings a broad and velvety texture as well as a range of ripe black fruits, while Cabernet Sauvignon provides more structure, freshness, and length. Petit Verdot completes the ensemble with spicy nuances and an additional touch of depth. The different lots are vinified separately to preserve the personality of each origin before the final blend. Extractions are conducted with restraint to accompany the natural richness of the vintage without hardening the tannins. Aging in barrels then allows refining the matter and progressively integrating the wood with the fruit. The result combines density, suppleness, and precision in a register more quickly accessible than that of the grand vin.
The color shows a deep garnet with still very young purple reflections. The nose opens on blackberry, black cherry, and blackcurrant, accompanied by violet, licorice, and fine notes of cedar. Upon aeration, cocoa, sweet spices, and a slight touch of graphite gradually appear. The palate is broad and supple, with fine tannins that give depth without heaviness. Merlot brings a fleshy and immediate texture, while Cabernet Sauvignon maintains a beautiful tension until the finish. The finish remains persistent, on black fruits, spices, and a discreet smoky nuance. The 2022 Petit Ducru will accompany duck breast, roasted rack of lamb, beef fillet, veal chop with mushrooms, or roasted pigeon.
Grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
