1996 CHÂTEAU DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU 1996

The Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, is a vineyard of 75 hectares, located in Saint-Julien-Beychevelle in the Gironde. AOC Saint-Julien, he is ranked a second growth in the famous in the Grand Cru rankings of 1855. The first traces of the estate date back to the thirteenth century. The castle was for centuries, until 1720, the property of the Bergeron family. In 1795 the estate was ceded to the  Ducru family and the it took their name.  Bertrand Ducru then undertook radical changes to the castle (with the help of architect Paul Abadie) and the new viticulture installations (new winery). The consecration of these efforts will be the status of second growth ranking in the 1855 classification. In 1866, the castle was sold to the family of Nathaniel Johnston (1836-1914), a wine merchant and potter from Bordeaux, mayor and representative of St. Julian. The financial crisis of 1929 forced Nathaniel Johnston to sell the estate to the Desbarats family  and after only twelve years they ceded it to the Borie family, who still owns the castle today. Terroir. Ducru-Beaucaillou is named after the big stones Günz having a thickness from 6 to 8 m. The implantation iis 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot 30%, with the desire not to use or Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc. The vines are an average of 35 years old, and are planted in high density (10,000 plants / ha). Wine. Ducru-Beaucaillou also produces a second wine, La Croix de Beaucaillou. .