This wine comes from the vineyard of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, an exceptional Saint-Julien terroir situated on gravel rises above the Gironde estuary. The estate owes its name to its “beautiful pebbles” ("beaux cailloux", in French) which make for soils that are nutrient-poor, well-drained and promote ripeness and flavour concentration in the grapes grown here. This wine blends a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (around 60% each year), completed with Merlot Noir (35% to 37%) as well as a subtly spicy touch of Petit Verdot (3% to 5%). It is carefully aged for 12 months in barrels of which two-thirds are new each vintage. Powerful, silky, very aromatic, La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou beguiles with its bouquet, its balance, its remarkable finesse and its lengthy finish.