Tasting Notes
Vinous 87-90
(a blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot; pH 3.69; 60% new oak) Very deep purple. Fresh cabernet sauvignon-dominated nose shows floral, cassis and graphite aromas. Also vibrant on entry, with ripe, soft black fruit and mineral flavors that resonate through the smooth finish. This very well-made wine shows much more complexity, depth and freshness than usual; while there’s a hint of slightly drying tannins, this looks to be the best Croix ever. Owner Bruno Borie told me that beginning in 2005 this became a wine of terroir too: rather than including grapes from Ducru’s youngest or less favorably situated vines (fruit that now goes into private labels), the Croix is made only with the grapes of certain specific parcels.
Robert Parker 91
The grand vin is the result of an increasingly strict selection process, with approximately 50% of the production going into the final wine and the balance used in the Croix de Beaucaillou. The 2009 may be the finest example of this cuvee I have yet tasted. Up-front, precocious and generous, it possesses a dense purple color, a big, broad, unctuous texture and abundant notes of creme de cassis and black cherry fruit intertwined with hints of wood smoke, vanillin and earth. This nearly viscous-styled wine can be drunk in 2-3 years or cellared for 15+.
JancisRobinson.com 16.5
Another second wine, before Jade Jagger was given the job of repackaging it like a bottle of scent. Relatively pale crimson. Luscious and yet dry on the end. Really well constituted. Dense and set for a great future.
Anticipated maturity: 2015-2023
