2008 Ducru Beaucaillou

The finest showing I've ever seen for this beauty (and I've been lucky enough to drink plenty), the 2008 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou offers a still youthful vibrant hue as well as sensational aromatics of pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencils, crushed stone, graphite, and an undeniable sense of minerality. It’s concentrated, medium to full-bodied, has beautiful tannins, and a thrilling finish. This is a magical Saint-Julien that readers should snatch up. it's going to take another 4-6 years to hit full maturity and will evolve gracefully over the following 2-3 decades if well-stored.

‘The spring was damp and cool, requiring long hours in the vineyards to combat disease pressure. The weather turned to favourable conditions in July, but August saw a return of cooler temperatures and cloud cover. Fortuitously, the weather improved 15 September, and remained mostly sunny and warm through harvest, enabling perfect maturation of the grapes. The growing cycle lasted a record 120 days (2 weeks longer than average), giving wines of exceptional richness.’ Harvest: 2 October – 16 October. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. 18 months in new French oak. Deep garnet with brick rim. A marked note of vanilla. Lots of dry tannins and a bit lean overall. I am not sure if the fruit will hold out as long as the tannins will. (JH)

Spiced plum on the attack, this is a gourmet, inviting wine with a rich ruby colour, still looking and feeling young at 14 years old. One to dive into, building up layers through the palate of blackcurrant and loganberry fruits laced with sage and rosemary spices, graphite, campfire embers and mint leaf on the finish. Confident, overdelivering in the vintage. Harvest October 2 to 16. Eric and Jacques Boissenot consultants, Virginie Sallette technical director.