The château itself is an impressive stately house aggrandised by two fairy-tale towers on the fringes of the village of Saint-Julien. Tracing its roots back to the 13th century, it has been under the stewardship of the Borie family since 1941 and most notably Bruno Borie since 2003, whose influence at the estate has seen quality here improve dramatically.
The selection process at Ducru-Beaucaillou has become draconian on Bruno Borie’s watch, halving the average production of the Grand Vin from 180,000 bottles to 90,000.
The estate produces both a second wine called Le Petite Caillou and a popular separate wine that comes from a specific plot called La Croix de Beaucaillou.
Ducru-Beaucaillou has 75 hectares under vine, planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The best plots are deep, Gunzian gravel soils. The mature (over 35 years old) low-slung vines closest to the Gironde estuary produce the estate's Grand Vin. La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is made with vines grown further inland – originally the site of Ch. Terrey-Gros-Caillou, a property that the estate acquired in 2005. The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2018.
Following plot-by-plot harvesting, each parcel is fermented separately in a mix of old wooden vessels, concrete and stainless-steel tanks. Following fermentation, the wines are aged in oak barriques – up to 70% new for La Croix de Beaucaillou and between 90-100% new for the Grand Vin.