The bouquet of the Ducru-Beaucaillou 1995 offers an array of fresh fruit, blackcurrant, plum, spices and liquorice complicated by mint and minerality. It has a juicy and quite fleshy texture and flavours that evoke graphite and cedar along with a touch of leather. This is now at the beginning of its apogee but should hold well for another 10 years thanks to the quality of its tannins.

Proprietor Bruno Borie noted this was a somewhat unusual blend this year: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. After this vintage, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot would no longer be included in the blend. Medium to deep brick in color, the 1995 Ducru-Beaucaillou explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of Indian spices, plum preserves, fruitcake and dried figs with nuances of potpourri, star anise, bouquet garni and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of exotic spices and preserved black fruits, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic impact and length. Mature and drinking well now, there's still a good 12-15 years of kick left in this thoroughbred.

The 1995 Ducru-Beaucaillou, matured in two-thirds new oak, has a very refined bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, rose petal and cedar aromas, very focused and sophisticated. The palate is well balanced with sour red cherries, balsamic and cedar notes, vibrant and full of energy, though you might well argue it doesn’t quite have the panache and complexity of ensuing vintages on the finish. But it is certainly ageing well and is drinking perfectly now.

Subtle yet aromatic character of Indian spices, currants and dried cherries. Full-bodied, with super well-integrated tannins and a long, caressing finish. Wonderful texture. Classy and structured. Long. *Ranked #1 in Wine Spectator Top 100 of 1998*

It is amazing how young the 1995 Ducru-Beaucaillou remains. When first decanted, the wine is still tightly-knit and reticent and it takes a good half an hour of air before it even starts to stir. However, once it does start to relax a bit the wine shows splendid depth of fruit and nascent complexity on the nose, offering up scents of sweet cassis, cigar ash, gravelly soil tones, a touch of tobacco leaf and a judicious framing of toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impeccably balanced, with a rock solid core of fruit, superb soil signature and grip, ripe, firm tannins and lovely grip on the very long, focused and promising finish. I would not touch a bottle of the ’95 Ducru for another decade, as there are still substantial tannins that need to soften up here, but in due course, this should prove to be an outstanding wine.