Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Identity

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a renowned winegrowing estate, classified as a Deuxième Grand Cru in 1855. Located in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, it is owned by the Borie family and managed by Bruno-Eugène Borie.

History and philosophy

The history of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou dates back to 1720, the year the château was built in its Directoire style. The estate celebrated its tercentenary on 29 September 2020. Acquired by Bertrand Ducru in 1795, it was subsequently ranked as a Deuxième Grand Cru in the 1855 classification. Bordeaux mixture (bouillie bordelaise), a milestone discovery in viticulture, was invented on the estate in 1878 by its estate manager, Ernest David, to combat downy mildew.

The Borie family permanently settled on the property in 1960, following a period of tenancy that began in 1941. Bruno-Eugène Borie took over the helm of the estate in 2003. Environmentally friendly practices have been introduced, including replacing herbicides with mechanical tilling and tailored cover cropping, as well as using manure and compost instead of chemical fertilisers. The estate also innovates in the vineyard through the use of decision-support software and predictive models to manage the vine growth cycle. In 2020, the renovation of the château was completed.

Appellations

The plots of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou are situated within the Saint-Julien appellation. The estate also produces a cuvée under the Haut-Médoc appellation, Madame de Beaucaillou.

Practical information

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is located in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, postcode 33250. For any enquiries, the estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 5 56 73 16 73 or by email at ducru-beaucaillou@ducru-beaucaillou.com. Visits are strictly by appointment for wine trade professionals only. The estate does not offer catering, accommodation, mail-order sales, or cellar door sales.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou covers 75 hectares. It is characterised by a Günzian gravel ridge overlooking the Gironde, whose estuary naturally regulates temperatures thanks to tidal movements. The average age of the vines is around 40 years. The grape varieties are predominantly Cabernet-Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot (25%), rounded out by Petit Verdot (5%). Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand.

Flagship cuvées

The grand vin is Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. The estate also crafts La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, a second wine produced from a dedicated terroir selection. Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou is another cuvée from the property. Finally, Madame de Beaucaillou completes the wine range.

Vinification and ageing

The estate focuses on plot-by-plot, and even micro-plot, vinification. The wines are aged in oak barrels. A new 8,000 m² cellar is scheduled for the 2026 harvest, succeeding the previous cellar inaugurated in 2000. Éric Boissenot serves as the estate's consulting oenologist.