Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 2000

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the medium to deep garnet-brick colored 2000 Ducru-Beaucaillou charges out of the gate with flamboyant scents of baked black currants, raisin cake, prunes, Chinese five spice and eucalyptus plus touches of cigar box, new leather and cast iron pan. Medium-bodied, the palate is remarkably refreshing with all these decadent spice and dried berries layers coating the palate, textured by soft, powdery tannins, finishing long and mineral laced. Stunning!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "Wonderful rose and currant aromas with hints of mint. It’s full-bodied yet very finely textured, with good fruit concentration and length. Continuing to improve in the bottle."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, zarte Aufhellung, breiter Wasserrand. In der Nase tiefe süße Beerenfrucht, tabakiger Touch, Röstaromen, exotische Gewürzanklänge. Am Gaumen kraftvoll und komplex, mächtige, schmelzende Tannine, finessenreiche Textur, süßer Fruchtkern, lebendige Säurestruktur, nach Heidelbeeren, Lakritze, Brombeerkonfit, schokoladiger Nachhall, zwar schon heute ein toller Speisenbegleiter mit großer Länge, sollte aber im Idealfall noch gut zehn Jahre reifen dürfen, ein echter Vin de Garde."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "If bordeaux, St-Julien in particular, is about symmetry, proportion and a certain majesty, this Ducru is a very fine example. The great counterpoint of the 2000 vintage – freshness with ripeness, intensity with finesse – is to the fore here. This is complex and just beginning to unwind. (AH)"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Classic and classy, 2 hours of air added more softness and brought this around quite nicely. The wine is full-bodied, concentrated, and tannic. There is a strong sensation of cedar, tobacco leaf, herbs, spice and bright, fresh red berries from start to finish. You can easily give this another decade in the cellar for more secondary nuances and enjoy it over the following 2 decades after that."

WEINWISSER: "Cassis, Tomatenlaub, Piment d’ - Espelette, eingelegte Kirschen, Preiselbeeren, Bitterschokolade, dunkler Tabak und Orangeat. Im Antrunk kraftvoll, körperreich und konzentriert mit saftiger Frucht, flankiert von Unmengen reifer Gerbstoffe, dicht und herb mit persistentem Schoko-Kirsch-Finish."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This has mature hints, but there's great focus as the cedar, bay and leather notes race along with, rather than pull away from, the core of fig and blackberry fruit flavors. The long, bittersweet cocoa–dusted finish provides a solid bass line.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 17,500 cases made."