Deep damson colour and mouthfilling from the start, this expands outwards through the palate, filling up with concentrated yet plush berry fruits, notes of smoked oak, hazelnut, grilled liquorice. A real presence, approaches the 2016 but with more evident approachability. Appealing now but sure that it will close down pretty tightly for a while as this has a high tannin count of 88IPT. 94 points

The 2019 La Croix de Beaucaillou is composed of 46% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. It has 14.3% alcohol and a pH of 3.78 with an IPT of 88. It is set to age for 12 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of crushed blackcurrants, baked blackberries and wild blueberries plus hints of woodsmoke, chargrill, black truffles and lilacs with a waft of fertile loam. Medium to full-bodied, the palate quivers with energetic black fruits, framed by bold freshness and ripe, rounded tannins, finishing on a lingering mineral note. 90-92 points

The 2019 La Croix Ducru Beaucaillou is endowed with a gorgeous, quite sumptuous bouquet loaded with black plum, tobacco, smoke and Earl Grey aromas that burst from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very pliant tannin, harmonious and velvety in texture, gradually building towards a detailed and mineral-driven finish. Maybe less opulent than the 2018 by comparison, yet a Deuxième Vin full of breeding. 94-96 points