In the famed 1855 classification, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou was designated a Second Growth. The classification has remained largely unchanged, but a few wines in the modern era have been dubbed Super Seconds, essentially saying that if there were to be new version, they should be considered for promotion to First Growth. Ducru would certainly be one of these châteaux. Rightly celebrated for producing some of the Médoc’s most refined wines, its elegance comes from its prized terroir, literally next door to Château Latour. It is a truism in Bordeaux that those estates with a view of the Gironde make great wines, and Ducru has glorious views. Despite its proximity to Latour, the wines more resemble the elegance of Lafite rather than the power of Latour. The estate was first purchased in 1941 by Jean-Eugène Borie and is now in the capable hands of Bruno Borie. He has a passion for quality in the wine that borders on the obsessive, From the draconian selection process in the vineyard to the ultra-precise winemaking, he has spared nothing, his only goal is to produce the best wine possible. The meticulous attention to detail has made Ducru the embodiment of elegance, finesse, breed, and class. This is a quintessential wine from Saint Julien, its beauty comes from its balance rather than its brawn, and for the last thirty years has been producing first growth quality wines. We are honored to have Cathleen Burke-Visscher, Director, North America Marketing and Sales, from Ducru-Beaucaillou give us an insider’s view of this very special Château.