2017 La Croix de Beaucaillou Cuvee Colbert
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou Cuvée Colbert springs from the glass with baked blackberries, warm plums, redcurrant jelly and cassis notes plus hints of violets, wild sage and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy black and red fruits, framed by a grainy texture and delivering a long, refreshing finish. Total aging time was 18 months in French oak barrels, 60% of which were new. The final blend is 58% Merlot, 39% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Cuvée Colbert is a 6,000 bottle production that I have never heard of until it magically appeared at one of my tastings in Bordeaux. It differs from the regular La Croix de Beaucaillou in terms of ageing: matured in a foudres made from ancient oak trees specially sourced from a cooperage. "Colbert" was in fact King Louis XIV’s Minister of Finance who administered the planting of vast tracts of France with oak trees, thus sowing the seeds, literally, for the country’s barrel industry. It debuted with the 2013 vintage. It has a lovely bouquet with well defined raspberry, wild strawberry, cedar and camphor aromas, the latter becoming stronger with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very gentle and caressing, to the point where it disguises the power and depth on the finish. This is so seductive that you could drink this now, especially due to the seamless finish. Superb. [This cuvée is distributed exclusively by the Duclot négociant.]
About the producer
Second Growth estate Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou in Saint-Julien is one of the Super Seconds, an elite group of properties producing wines that regularly compete with the finest in the Médoc.