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Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The estate Château Ducru-Beaucaillou was purchased by Francois Borie in 1941 and has remained in the family since along with the family's other estates Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Haut-Batailley. In the mid 1980's the estate battled an infestation of TCA (Cork taint) in their cellars that marred several vintages including the 1988, 1989, and 1990. The Chateau has since corrected the problem, and today the wines are fermented and aged in a new underground cellar created in the late 1990s. Today the estate is managed by Bruno Borie. Ducru-Beaucaillou produces two wines. The grand vin called Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, and a second wine produced since 1995 into which lesser quality lots are delegated, La Croix de Beaucaillou. The wines are aged for 18-20 months in 50% to 65% new oak barrels, fined with egg whites, lightly filtered, and then bottled. Wines from Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou are supple yet full-bodied, a typically fine Saint Julien that needs 8-10 years to reveal its rich and fruity, elegant flavors of cassis, vanilla and ripe blackberries. Appellation: St Julien Areas under Vine: 112 acres Average Annual Production: 20,000 cases per annum Soil: Rich gunzian gravel with stones up to 2.5 inches in diameter Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Petit Verdot (5%) Ageing: 20 months in barrel Top Vintages: 1953, 1961, 1970, 1982, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004