O VINARIJI / ABOUT THE WINERY
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou nekretnina je u Saint-Julien apelacije Médoc, ocijenjen kao drugi rast u Bordeaux klasifikaciji iz 1855. godine . Često se opisuje kao suštinski Saint-Julien-duboko obojen i snažno zreo, ali uravnotežen i skladan. Grand vinu obično treba 10 godina starenja i može trajati desetljećima. Drugo vino, Croix de Beaucaillou, također se proizvodi iz vinograda Ducru.
Vinograd od 75 hektara (185 jutara) nalazi se na jugoistoku naziva, u blizini sela Beychevelle i na granici s Branaire-Ducru. Nalazi se u blizini rijeke koja štiti od mraza i tuče, a na najdubljim šljunčanim slojevima pojačana je drenaža, večernja toplina i zaštitni sloj koji sprječava isušivanje podzemlja u toplinskim valovima. Aluvijalne naslage i visok sadržaj gline obogaćuju tlo, a vinograd je dobio ime po tom “prekrasnom kamenjum”. Sadi se 70 posto u Cabernet Sauvignon i 30 posto u Merlot .
Grožđe se sortira u vinogradu na pokretnim stolovima kako bi se na vrijeme odvojilo nezdravo grožđe, a određene vinogradarske parcele vinificiraju se zasebno. Za starenje koristi se između 50-80 posto novog drva, ovisno o berbi.
Dvorac je neobičan za regiju jer se gradi izravno nad vinskim podrumima, a u njemu i dalje živi obitelj koja posjeduje imanje. Obitelj Borie također posjeduje dvorce Lalande-Borie u Saint-Julienu i Ducluzeau u Listrac-Médocu.
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a property in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Médoc, rated a second growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. It is often described as the quintessential Saint-Julien – deeply colored and powerfully ripe, yet balanced and harmonious. The grand vin usually needs 10 years of aging and can last for decades. A second wine, Croix de Beaucaillou, is also produced from the Ducru vineyard.
The 75-hectare (185-acre) vineyard is situated in the southeast of the appellation, near the village of Beychevelle and bordering Branaire-Ducru. It is near the river, which gives protection from frost and hail, and on the deepest gravel layers there is enhanced drainage, evening warmth, and a protective layer stopping the subsoil from drying out in heat waves. Alluvial deposits and a high clay content enrich the soil, and the vineyard takes its name from these “beautiful stones”. It is planted 70 percent to Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 percent to Merlot.
Grapes are sorted in the vineyard on mobile tables to promptly separate out any unhealthy grapes, and specific vineyard plots are vinified separately. Barrel-ageing uses between 50-80 percent new wood, depending on the vintage.
The château is unusual for the region in being built directly over the wine cellars, and in that it is still inhabited by the family who own the estate. The Borie family also own the châteaux Lalande-Borie in Saint-Julien and Ducluzeau in Listrac-Médoc.
