100 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

Probably one of my most consistent 100 pointers, I've been lucky enough to taste through close to a case of this beauty and it's never failed to just utterly blow me away. Still purple-hued with maybe just a hint of lightening around the edges, the 2009 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou offers an incredible bouquet of black currants, white truffle, cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and a hint of flowers. A good portion of its baby fat has melted away, and it's full-bodied and elegant on the palate, with silky tannins, incredible depth of fruit, and a gorgeous finish. This is pure elegance and finesse paired with richness and texture. A quintessential Bordeaux, drink bottles any time over the coming 40-50 years. It actually reminds me of the 1982, only better!

99 Decanter

Remarkably fresh and delicate nose yet classic and aromatic and full of spicy and graphite notes with liquorice, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, and cherry. Very fresh and elegant, the palate is formidable and shows the classic style of Ducru-Beaucaillou with its characteristic tension and upright structure and the powerful personality of a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine from one of the great terroirs of the Médoc. Bravo!

98 Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Such confidence and character on display in this wine, and these were the years when all the work of the new team under Bruno Borie began to seriously come on line. Sculpted and richly spiced, with cloves, aniseed, fennel, edges of creme de cassis, beautiful depth to the fruit, walking the line of full ripeness that is such a signature of the generous 2009 vintage without sacrificing mint leaf and slate freshness. Harvest September 23 to October 9. 100% new oak

98 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou bursts from the glass with bombastic crème de cassis, black cherry compote and preserved plums notes followed by hints of menthol, hoisin, dusty soil and incense plus fragrant wafts of candied violets and baker’s chocolate. Full bodied, rich and spicy in the mouth, the palate offers a beautifully plush texture and bags of freshness, finishing long and layered. An absolute powerhouse!

98 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou will eclipse the brilliant wines produced in 2005, 2003 and 2000. It will be interesting to see how the 2009 fares against the 2010 after twenty years of aging, but my money is on the 2009. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, this inky purple, unctuous wine possesses classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, blueberries, violets, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. Full-bodied and intense with Ducru’s inimitable elegance and purity, it should firm up in the bottle after 7-10 years of cellaring and last for 40-50 years. Magnificent! Bruno Borie has done a remarkable job at Ducru Beaucaillou.