One of the greatest wines of Saint-Julien. The 50 ha of Ducru based in the south of the appellation are planted to a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot (30%). It is a very impressive, classically structured example of the appellation: always elegant, very intense, with subtle cedar and dark fruit underpinned by finely integrated oak. It requires patience and cellaring. Since overcoming the problem of cork taint in vintages between 1986 and 1995, with many of these bottles having to be re-corked, the Château has been on a roll since Bruno Borie took over the management in 2003, reducing the yields to about half as what they were in the 1980s, producing around 10,000 cases a year now. (DM/NB)
