Bob McDonald

9.5

Classic Cabernet descriptors of Cedar, Tobacco, Red and black fruits and a herbal note. Lovely on the palate, drinking at its peak with excellent balance - smooth, fluid, resolved tannins. One could easily pick this as a Left Bank Bordeaux in a blind tasting. Shows more French restraint than the full blown Napa style for me. Medium + weight palate with balance and concentration. Probably my favourite Napa Valley Cabernet though admittedly I have not tried some of the big guns like Harlan. Post script: A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. No Merlot was used in the blend for 2004. — 4 years ago

Sarah Reis

9.4

Very fruity and smooth. For adams bday dinner at Chives 2020 — 5 years ago

AnitaAnita

9.4

Covid Bottle 3. A little spicy. 2017 — 5 years ago

Gary Phillips

9.1

Classic Left Bank Bordeaux. Black fruit and leather with long finish — 6 years ago

Tobin Trevarthen

9.5

The original year. Still delivering. Soft subtle tannins packed with Cab Franc tootsie roll goodness. — 7 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.0

This yellow-gold wine rings the “old-style Cali” bell in all the right ways. A nose of apricots, mangoes and apples is helped along with the smell of buttered popcorn. Oak treats the palate as well, draping over the tropical fruit like a sunshade. The acidity is zesty, yet the mouthfeel tends toward creaminess due to the wine sitting on the lees for five months. The oak is a definite part of the wine, but the effect is softened enough so that it's a pleasure, not a pain. — 7 years ago

Joyce Lin

8.9

A beautiful left bank Bordeaux. Quite classic on the palate. Dry with subtle oak note, cinnamon, clove, slightly earthy, mostly with blackberry, black cherry, black currant, pencil shave. Not too many herbal notes on the nose. Med to med plus acidity and med plus tannin. Quite smooth. — 8 years ago

Rania P

9.3

Decantered for 2 hours, low tanins, not too acidic. Big, bold, smooth. — 4 years ago

Le Trevs Smith

9.3

Dark and supple. Taste of blackberries with mild black pepper aroma. Virtually no tannins it’s smooth to sip or pair with something light ... or even pizza. 😊 casual, unpretentious and tasty. — 5 years ago

Philip Deibel

9.1

Excellent example of a maturing left bank. Still plenty of dark ripe fruit but with evolving secondary notes of earth, graphite and licorice. Still with a tannic backbone but more plush in texture than a young Bordeaux. Very enjoyable. — 5 years ago

Hal

9.2

With Kristen — 6 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.5

Rather suddenly, and without much explanation, Bordeaux found itself in the middle of my crosshairs as being the next place I wanted to conduct a deep dive in. With this shift in my general attention from New World to Old World I began to do more research on the various appellations, prominent chateaus, and nuances of Left Bank and Right Bank, as well as compile a spreadsheet highlighting specific bottles I wanted to seek out. For a reason unbeknownst to me, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou was the producer I wanted to start my deep dive with. I researched the history of the chateaux, learned about their wines, priced out vintages that were immediately available for my acquisition, and added it to my Bordeaux spreadsheet, waiting for the time to pull the trigger and purchase a bottle (or two) to start the trek with. As far as wines are concerned it was all I could think about: Ducru-Beaucaillou. Apparently, the mere act of researching a chateau left me beguiled, craving a wine I had never even had before! With all of this research in mind I’ve learned over the years that as much as I thoroughly enjoy researching and trying wine, it’s certainly more enjoyable to share the knowledge and the experiences with others. Enter @codyuzzel, who has heard more than his fair share of my wine ramblings over the years. One day we began discussing Bordeaux, Left Bank v. Right bank, and changes in our thought patterns about the region over the years, which eventually lead him to asking the million-dollar question: Are there any producers you’ve highlighted that you’re particularly interested in? I told him that Ducru-Beaucaillou was in my crosshairs, along with a handful of other producers that I’d explore once I’d tried Ducru. That’s when he texted me the picture; a picture of him holding a glorious bottle of 2012 Ducru-Beaucaillou. “I took this pic before we started this conversation.” Given the serendipitous nature of this occurrence he extended an invitation to pop the cork upon our next meeting, which is interesting in and of itself given that I had been thinking about visiting him at the wine bar just earlier that day. It’s moments like these that truly make the wine journey a sweet and rewarding one. Thanks, Cody, for your generosity and epic invitations.
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Anise, graphite, plums, and blackberries. Very polished and very delicious. — 7 years ago

with Cody

Natalie Griffin

9.2

Semi sweet cherries and medium body. Some dark chocolate notes. — 8 years ago

Vanessa

9.2

Honoring my marvelous father with a meal and wine he would have appreciated with gusto.  We wish he was here to share it with us, but are deeply grateful that his spiritual presence remains so strong in our hearts today and every day.  💕

This blend is predominantly (78%) Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot.  🍷 It hails from the Haut-Médoc region on the “left bank” of Bordeaux, 🇫🇷 more specifically, the Pauillac AOC.  Pauillac is a highly-regarded commune, with favorable growing conditions, known for producing some outstanding quality wines.  👌👌 This wine is no exception. 😆

🏰 Château Grad-Puy-Lacoste is a cru classé, ranked among, and a neighbor to, the region’s top estates.  It’s incredible to think the first vines planted on this property date back to the 1500s, making it one of the oldest properties in the region.

We decanted this wine for several hours, which helped it soften and release its layered aromatics.  

👁 The color is deep garnet with notable tearing.

👃 On the nose it has medium(+) intensity and concentration of developing aromas.  The aromas include ripe black fruit such as cassis, black cherry, blackberry, and plum, as well as other non-fruit notes like black licorice, pencil shavings, and violet. It has secondary notes of clove, nutmeg, allspice, cedar, also tertiary notes of wet earth, tobacco, leather, meat, fig, and mushroom.

👄 This wine is dry and its flavors on the palate are consistent with the nose.
This wine has balance, complexity, a strong structure, with firm, grippy tannins, and a long elegant finish.  👏👏

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, vintage 2011, ABV 13.5%.  — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Brett Francis

9.1

This was quite flavorful and interesting. It had some jam, blackberry, hints of leather and smoke. It had a nice mouthfeel and a medium finish. All in all this was the standout of the night, but still young. — 5 years ago

Adam Smith

9.0

Took 30’ to get good started slow then developed black cherry and even a hint of current 2015 vintage — 6 years ago

Jack Petras

9.1

1995 vintage. Still deep purple red, subtle earthy leather aromas with a burst of fresh red raspberries mid palate. Lots of herbal hints like anise and tarragon. Finished with graphite and iron. Changed with each sip. Very nice mature and fully approachable left bank beauty. — 7 years ago

David Castricone

9.3

Powerful, dark, brooding. Primary early in the decant, but later opened up to smoke, chocolate, and licorice. A well made old world right bank that was still a bit austere but paired well with French duck. — 7 years ago

with Kiley

Lenya Ehrmann

9.0

Can hold it's own, but best with steak or hamburgers. — 8 years ago

Natalie Griffin

9.5

Darker fruit and some tannins. Well balanced. — 8 years ago