Velvet tannins are allied with powerful fruit to create a rich wine with signs of the wood aging that smooth it further. It will be a generous wine that will keep its fine fruitiness for many years. Barrel Sample: 93-95 points

A juicy and savory second wine from Ducru with lots of ripe fruit and spice character. Chocolate and walnut undertones. Full body, velvety tannins and a fresh finish. Barrel Sample: 93-94

The 2015 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. It has a floral note on the nose: small black cherries, blueberry and wilted violets, the last becoming more intense as the initially tight-fisted wine opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin. There is very well-judged acidity and its texture is harmonious and silky smooth. The quality is loaded more in the mouth than on the nose at the moment, but it is a seriously classy "deuxième vin" that just needs a little more persistence on the finish. Barrel Sample: 91-93

Smooth, classy black fruits – a very polished wine from a separate vineyard with no young vines. Excitingly expressive and will develop very well.