Château Ducasse Graves 2020

A quintessential red Graves consisting of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Château Ducasse Graves (90 Points & “Best Buy” – Wine Enthusiast) emanates from the highest hilltop of Graves. Richly endowed in color and body, the wine possesses ripe black fruits, rich tannins, and Graves’s aromatic cachet, including the redolent scents of cedar and unsmoked tobacco. Blackberry, red currant, and savory dark plum flavors also grace the nose and unfold slowly in the mouth, carried on a stream of healthy tannins. Rich and savory, the 2020 Château Ducasse offers plenty to like now and for several years to come. For optimal enjoyment, provide this structured red Graves at least 30 minutes of aeration prior to serving at cool room temperature (58°-62° F). Anticipated maturity: 2024-2027. Enjoy!

Albert Perromat has fashioned an especially fine red Graves in the estate’s 2020 Château Ducasse Graves. As a splendid dinner companion, it graciously accompanies a variety of dishes, from the simple to the sublime. One of our favorite pairings with young Graves remains veal. Tender cutlets of milk fed veal stuffed with cheeses and herbs provide a gustatory delight and superb dinner companion to this wine. A juicy, perfectly grilled steak also makes a fine companion to the bold-flavored 2020 Château Ducasse. Almond Encrusted Pork Tenderloin, served with a dried cranberry and apple conserve and savory wild rice, offers another tasty accompaniment. Cornish game hens, duck breast served with roasted root vegetables, and Shepherd’s Pie offer equally rewarding companionship to this quintessential Graves. A platter of soft cheeses makes for a simple but equally satisfying accompaniment without having to spend hours in the kitchen. Bon appétit!

Château Ducasse emanates from the prestigious Graves estate of Château Beauregard Ducasse. The affable, highly talented Albert Perromat, the 7th generation to make wine at Château Beauregard Ducasse, now runs his family’s estate from vine to cellar. Albert’s family has been in possession of this venerable château since 1850 and Ducasse remains very much a family affair with Jacques and Marie-Laure, Albert’s parents, still actively involved in the daily operation of the property in the tiny Graves village of Mazères.

Mazères lies in the southern and most rural section of the Graves region on a bed of gravel (from which the name Graves is derived). The Perromat’s 27-acre estate occupies the highest ground in Graves, which serves to protect the surrounding vineyards from the late spring frosts that have recently decimated lower lying vineyards in Bordeaux, including those in the Médoc. Year in and year out, the château produces exceptional red and white Graves.

Although the majority of the estate’s production is white Graves made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, the two red Graves of Château Beauregard Ducasse are exceptional offerings, consisting primarily of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc with a small amount of Petit Verdot added in some vintages. The château produces two exceptional red Graves: Château Ducasse (this month’s feature) and Château Beauregard Ducasse Cuvée Albert Duran. The Perromats also fashion two special white Graves, Château Ducasse Graves Blanc, a traditional white Graves meant to be consumed in the first five years of vintage, and Cuvée Albertine Peyri, a barrel fermented white Graves meant for longer aging.