Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Winery

The Grand Cru Classé Château Ducru-Beaucaillou in the Médoc appellation of Saint-Julien has been in existence since 1720. It has been in the hands of the Borie family for three generations since 1942.

Eleven classified châteaux characterise the appellation south of Pauillac, which covers just 900 hectares. "The soils, which essentially consist of gravel, marl and scree, give the wines of Saint-Julien an extraordinary elegance and racy flavour."

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou also owes its name to the terroir: "Les beaux cailloux", "the beautiful pebbles". They were washed up by the ancient Garonne around two million years ago and today provide the perfect, nutrient-poor and well-draining basis for viticulture. Added to this are the favourable climatic influences of the Gironde, the estuary into the Atlantic. The four daily tides swirl up water and air, softening harsh winters and summer heat.

The vineyards are cultivated using environmentally friendly methods, without herbicides and chemical fertilisers, but with a lot of mechanical work, natural compost and the targeted promotion of beneficial organisms. All decisions, especially for the harvest, are made with maximum precision and using modern technology plot by plot. Two engineers are employed specifically for research and development.

The selection of grape material has become increasingly drastic in recent years. Whereas 16,000 crates of grapes were harvested in 2002, today the figure is just 8,000. Oenologist Eric Boissenot's advice comes into play when assessing the grapes. Extra-small, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks are used for fermentation in order to "express the identity of each parcel and micro-parcel."

photos: Château Ducru-Beaucaillou