Chateau Ducru Beaucallou

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou

What I appreciate about having a small wine cellar is having the ability to buy and store wine for a long period of time. I love buying wine that I know I won't touch for a decade or more. Hey, don't get me wrong, I like instant gratification as much as the next guy, but when it comes to food and drink I like to spend an inordinate amount of time and money chasing that pursuit.
This wine comes from the St. Julian appellation of Bordeaux. In the 1855 Classification it is considered a 2nd Growth (officially Seconds Crus, sometimes written as Deuxièmes Crus).

The full list of the 2nd Growth wines

Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux
Château Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux
Château Léoville-Las Cases, St.-Julien
Château Léoville-Poyferré, St.-Julien
Château Léoville Barton, St.-Julien
Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux
Château Gruaud-Larose, St.-Julien
Château Lascombes, Margaux
Château Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Château Pichon Longueville Baron, Pauillac (commonly known as Pichon Baron)
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac (commonly known as Pichon Lalande or Pichon Comtesse)
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St.-Julien
Château Cos d'Estournel, St.-Estèphe
Château Montrose, St.-Estèphe



To me this bottle and lable scream "old school". With all of the animal labels of Australia and the pseudo labels of distributors in the United States it is nice to actually have a bottle of wine that not only contains great wine, but that also carries itself with an understated amount of class and dignity. This bottle is going to a neighbor and a friend of mine who just got married on Monday. My friend is in the wine business so he knows what the pedigree of this wine. With proper storage this wine could easily be opened to celebrate his 20th Anniversary. I hope they enjoy drinking this wine as much as I did giving them their little bit of delayed gratification.