La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint-Julien 2021 Bottle size: 750ml

‘Finessed and precise, with graphite, cassis and blackberry fruits, good lift and structure even if less generosity than you find in most vintages of this excellent wine. Plenty of St Julien character in its balance and grace, will offer a ton of pleasure over the next decade and more. 60% new oak, 27hl/h yield. 2024-2038’ - Jane Anson, janeanson.com, 92/100

‘Bramble tones, quite fragrant and rich blackberry notes on the nose. A dark soul with depth and intensity, this has such richness and power but restraint also. Concentrated with a directness and focus that drives it from start to finish aided by a linear vein of salinity, liquorice and blackcurrant fruit that all take the fore. Tannins are robust and grippy giving such an impressive structure that is so imposing in the mouth but retains a suave and endearing quality. Such charm and potential. 2025-2035’ - Georgina Hindle, Decanter, 92/100

‘The 2021 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is a more serious effort offering solid concentration in a vintage that yielded mostly mid-weight, elegant wines. Cassis, darker berries, spice, and graphite all define this nicely balanced, medium to full-bodied second wine. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, which is more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual for this cuvée. It's a focused, elegant wine to drink over the coming 10-15 years.’ – Jeb Dunnuck, 92/100