WTN: 2004 Ducru Beaucaillou

2004 Ducru Beaucaillou St. Julien 13% 375ml
Of course I open this, the first of four half bottles in the cellar, fearing it might be closed, but the nose is glorious, so prospects are bright. After all, it's a Ducru. Rich cassis and plum nose, tell-tale Bordeaux despite muted cedar and no lead pencil that I can detect. The first taste is disappointing, with a sense of weighty body immediately overwhelmed by a rush of acidity and tannins, ending with a tart note. With food, the acid somewhat tamed, the finesse of the tannins begins to show. Some vanilla notes from the oak develop, but the fruit remains classy but basic plum and cassis. A fine claret for the hedonist, but nothing new or interesting or different for the geek. On reflection, I hoped this would be accessible earlier because it was a half bottle, and while it wasn't closed, it just didn't have time to develop any of the notes that come with age. At the end of the day/bottle, being accessible is hardly enough to satisfy when expectations are as high as this name induces. I'll wait longer for the other half-bottles, opening one a year for the next three years. Stay tuned!

[David M. Bueker]

A not unexpected showing. I purchased two 2004s in in 375s (Pontet Canet and Leoville Barton), and while I bought more than enough to check them on a regualr basis I have decided to postpone any further drinking of them for another 4-5 years, as they are not showing much now beyond some youthful fruit and a lot of acid and tannin. I will start pulling one every six months or so once they reach age 8-10.

A not unexpected showing. I purchased two 2004s in in 375s (Pontet Canet and Leoville Barton), and while I bought more than enough to check them on a regualr basis I have decided to postpone any further drinking of them for another 4-5 years, as they are not showing much now beyond some youthful fruit and a lot of acid and tannin. I will start pulling one every six months or so once they reach age 8-10.

If you'll wait until 375s reach age 8-10, how much longer would you wait if they were 750s? To put the same question differently, do you have any rule of thumb for converting the rate of ageing of a 750 into 375? I've heard some people use 50%, but that seems too simplistic.

[David M. Bueker]

I don't really have a formal rule of thumb. I don't think there is any kind of linear equation to get from 375s to 750s.

I have some 2000 Clos du Marquis (2nd wine of Las Cases) in 375s, and it still seems very young and tight. I prefer my Bordeaux to be more than just open, I prefer it somewhat evolved. So I need more time to get it where I want it. I'm going to open anotehr 375 in the next few months (once the weather cools), and that will give me some more insight on how the 2000s might be doing.

Please bear in mind how I like my Bordeaux. I learned the wines by drinking 1966-1985 vintages after they had already been cellared to ages 15+, so young Bordeaux does not hold that much appeal for me.

My rule of thumb is to wait for you guys to open your Bordeaux and let me know when it's ready.

I just picked up a 375 of '04 Ducru. Perhaps I'll wait a bit to taste it. I would think that the difference between a 375 and a 750 wouldn't begin to show for several years, but that's not something I've ever tested.

I did just enjoy a decent '04 Giscours from split. Not as closed as I expected.

young Bordeaux does not hold that much appeal for me.

Ha, what about 2004 Clerc Milon?

Having recently liked (very much) an 04 Morot Corton-Bressandes in 375, I picked up a few bottles of 750 out of curiosity just to compare (for Matt's benefit).

I would think that the difference between a 375 and a 750 wouldn't begin to show for several years, but that's not something I've ever tested..

That's generally my guess, too. I think they are probably basically the same for at least 2-3 years after release. Though I may be more inclined to drink 375s young just because it's cheaper to open for a test drive.

I don't really have a formal rule of thumb. I don't think there is any kind of linear equation to get from 375s to 750s.

If one makes the (probably erroneous) assumption that the aging of the wine is a function of the oxygen that gets into the bottle through/around the cork, then one can assert the the oxygen concentration in a 375 will be twice that in a 750 (same cork size/cross section, same oxygen flux) and consequently oxygen-based reactions will be twice as fast (assuming that they're unimolecular in oxygen, a well-founded assumption IMO). Thus, wine in a 375 should age about twice as fast as that in a 750 in this view. Unfortunately, since we don't know a priori how fast the 750 will age, it doesn't actually provide much guidance for when to open your 375s. Of course, if you put faith in critics' predicted "drinking windows," then just divide by 2! Let me know how it works out...

Mark Lipton

If one makes the (probably erroneous) assumption that the aging of the wine is a function of the oxygen that gets into the bottle through/around the cork, then one can assert the the oxygen concentration in a 375 will be twice that in a 750 (same cork size/cross section, same oxygen flux) and consequently oxygen-based reactions will be twice as fast (assuming that they're unimolecular in oxygen, a well-founded assumption IMO). Mark Lipton

Thanks, Mark. But wouldn't this hold true regardless of whether or not oxygen enters the bottle? Even in an airtight screwcap, it seems to me that whatever oxidation results from contact between the liquid and the constant amount of air would still be twice as large in a 375. While I wouldn't infer that this makes the wine age twice as fast, since oxidation is surely not the only factor in aging, it does appear to be a truism that whatever oxidative effect occurs in a screwcapped 750 would be twofold in a screwcapped 375, no?