93

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is a huge, dense wine. A blast of dark cherry, plum, chocolate, leather, incense and new leather saturates the palate. Broad, ample and explosive, with staining intensity, La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is a plush, opulent Saint-Julien. There's tremendous textural presence here, with the tannins to match. 01/2025

94

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou has a wonderful, beautifully defined bouquet with pure blackberry, briar and cedar scents becoming ever more floral as it opens in the glass. It's concentrated but very well controlled. The palate is medium-bodied, tensile and poised with saturated tannins, a keen line of acidity and a sophisticated, persistent finish. This is a seriously fine Deuxième Vin that should require three or four years in bottle. 01/2025

90-92

William Kelley

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 2022 La Croix de Beaucaillou opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper and fresh mint, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit framed by chunky tannins, it's a blend of 66% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. 04/2023

94

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

The second wine of the château, the 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is slightly more Merlot based, as the majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon went to the Grand Vin. Based on 66% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot, it has a dense purple hue as well as brilliant aromatics of ripe black cherries, cassis, graphite, and spring flowers. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien offering fine, polished tannins, remarkable elegance, and a great finish. Despite being a second wine, this brings ample structure and tannins and will have well over two decades of longevity. 02/2025

95

James Suckling

James Suckling

Such a youthful La Croix that’s full of bright blue fruit with lots of mineral tension. Violets, graphite and wet stones on the nose. Tight-grained and crunchy on the palate, with an almost full body and a long, fresh and compact finish. Firm, fresh and vibrant, with nicely chewy, stony tannins. It needs three to four years to come around. 66% merlot, 32% cabernet sauvignon and 2% petit verdot. Drink from 2029. 01/2025