Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 1995

WEINWISSER: "Sehr dunkle Farbe, Purpur, violett-schwarze Reflexe. Tolles, tiefes Bouquet, Cassis, Brombeeren, Korinthen, Trüffel, schwarze Schokonoten, sehr nobel in der Nase. Cremiger, eleganter Gaumen, viel Souplesse zeigend, mit einer grazilen Fülle ausgestattet, warmes, erhabenes Finale, noch viel Reserven, trotzdem momentan ein gewaltiger Genuss."

WINEADVOCATE: "Proprietor Bruno Borie noted this was a somewhat unusual blend this year: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. After this vintage, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot would no longer be included in the blend. Medium to deep brick in color, the 1995 Ducru-Beaucaillou explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of Indian spices, plum preserves, fruitcake and dried figs with nuances of potpourri, star anise, bouquet garni and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of exotic spices and preserved black fruits, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic impact and length. Mature and drinking well now, there's still a good 12-15 years of kick left in this thoroughbred."

WINESPECTATOR: "Subtle yet aromatic character of Indian spices, currants and dried cherries. Full-bodied, with super well-integrated tannins and a long, caressing finish. Wonderful texture. Classy and structured. Long. This was wine of the year in 1998; well deserved.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2009. 18,000 cases made. —"

ANTONIO GALLONI: "Bright dark ruby. Knockout perfumed nose of great purity: cassis, violet, minerals and bitter chocolate. A penetrating wine of outstanding vinosity and verve; offers great tensile strength. Youthfully tight, classic claret whose extremely long finish features very fine tannins. I'm not convinced Ducru has made a wine in recent vintages to equal its '95 and '96 releases. Drink 2005 through 2025."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, fast opaker Kern, zarte violette Reflexe, zarter Wasserrand. In der Nase intensive dunkle Beerenfrucht, zartes Dörrzwetschkenaroma, nach Lakritze, Zedernholz, feine rauchige Würze, Nuancen von Kokos und Nougat. Am Gaumen saftig, komplexer Körper, besitzt eine runde, aber elegante Textur, ein sehr ausgewogener Wein, finessenreicher Säurebogen, besitzt ein kraftvolles Finale, bleibt gut haften, ist bereits antrinkbar, besitzt ein ausgezeichnetes Reifepotenzial."