Ducru-Beaucaillou St-Julien 2014

99 points James Suckling: "Fabulous aromas of crushed berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants, not to mention spices. Wet earth and cedar, too. Complex. Full-bodied, yet agile and complete. A dense center palate. Ultra-round tannins. Everything in the right balance. Wonderful to taste but better to drink in 2022. (10/17/19)"

97 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "One of the wines of the vintage, layers and layers of liquorice, graphite, cigar box, incredible deep cassis, this has such tension, this is pure suppressed power, and will run and run, zero drop in the mid palate, a beautiful slow build, one layer gently building on top of the next. Drinking Window: 2020-2040. (Mar 2017)"

96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "I just love the style of this estate and the 2014 Ducru-Beaucaillou is an undeniable success in the vintage. Made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot brought up in 100% new French oak, it offers a deep purple color as well as both elegance and power in its crème de cassis, raspberries, cedarwood, graphite, and floral bouquet, with its background oak smothered in fruit. Possessing a classic elegance, full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and stunning length, it one of the wines of the vintage and will drink nicely for another two to three decades. Drink: 2020-2050. (11/30/17)"

96 points and 'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "This powerful wine has a superb mix of the crispest fruit and great structure. Blackberries and black currants shine through the tannins, expressing the liveliness of the vintage. It is so well delineated with everything in its place. The wine is certainly going to age for decades. Drink from 2027. (Apr 2017)"

95 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "Very deep garnet in color, the 2014 Ducru-Beaucaillou springs from the glass, offering vibrant notions of fresh black currants, black cherries and black raspberries with touches of spice box, licorice and fragrant soil plus a waft of lavender. Medium-bodied, the palate bursts with lively, crunchy black fruits, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing on a lingering spicy note. Drink: 2020-2044. (Aug 2020)"

95 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2014 Ducru Beaucaillou has a refined bouquet with perfumed blackberry and briary scents, the oak neatly intertwined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a sharp, penetrating entry, the acidity here higher than its peers. It is certainly fresh and tensile, more Pauillac in style than Saint Julien, with a strong graphite presence towards the finish. Fine, but it needs a couple more years in bottle. It actually improves with aeration and develops much more finesse and panache. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Drink: 2022-2050. (Mar 2018)"