Château Branaire-Ducru St-Julien 4. Cru Classe 2015

”96 points.” – Tastingbook.com
”95 points. A structured and dark wine with great concentration…”  - Wine Enthusiast

Slottet udgjorde en del af Château Beychevelle, indtil ejeren døde og efterlod sig så meget gæld, at noget af Beychevelle måtte sælges fra. Branaire-Ducru har navn efter to tidligere ejere, Jean-Baptiste Braneyre og Gustave Ducru.

Siden 1988 har familien Maroteaux givet 4. Cru Branaire-Ducru en tiltrængt renæssance. Succesen skyldes flere tiltag. Både vinmarker og vinkældre er revitaliseret. Høstudbyttet holdes nede ved grøn høst samt dyrkning af græs/ukrudt mellem rækkerne.

Lanceringen af andenvinen Duluc de Branaire-Ducru, som laves på druer fra yngre vinstokke, har indirekte løftet ”Le Grand Vin” - som med op til 97 pt hos anmeldere i dag regnes blandt de bedste Médoc-køb overhovedet.

Anmeldelser af Château Branaire-Ducru Saint-Julien 4. Cru Classé 2015

96/100 Tastingbook.com

95/100 Antonio Galloni

95/100 Wine Enthusiast
“This family-owned estate has produced a structured and dark wine with great concentration balanced by acidity and pure, creamy fruit. It is a wine with a good future. The aftertaste leaves juicy acidity and firm tannins.”

95/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
“Clearly on the right track. The wine is elegant, refined, fresh, pure, classy and classic. The tannins are soft with the right amount of polish, The juicy, sweet, red fruits offer lift, purity and persistence to this medium-bodied wine. As this ages, it it only going to get better and better.”

95/100 Jean-Marc Quarin

94-95/100 Vinum
“Here, too, transparency, freshness and delicate fruitiness count more than concentrated power, extremely elegant and refined.”

94/100 Markus Del Monego MW

94/100 Wine Spectator
“This pumps lush fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture notes along, pushed by a rather polished but ample structure. Lots of anise and violet details cascade in on the finish, giving this extra aromatic dimension.”

94/100 Andrew Caillard MW

93/100 Decanter
“Stepping up in terms of grip and acidity, this really does pull you along through the palate, while bristling tannins hold things together. This majors on control and well-drawn cassis and bilberry fruits. It needs to soften, but should really go the distance. A fine and classic St-Julien.”

93/100 James Suckling
“More open than many 2015 St.-Juliens at this stage in spite of the firm, dry tannin structure behind the bright cassis. The tannins need some integration, but with some patience (from 2021 or 2022), this will become a rather fine wine.”

93/100 Falstaff
“Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections, subtle lightening of the edges, delicate precious wood spice, ripe cherry fruit, delicate orange zest, tobacco nuances, multi-faceted bouquet. Juicy, fresh cherries, elegant, freshly structured, integrated tannins, balanced and persistent, subtle extract sweetness in the finish, good aging potential with a medium length.”

93/100 The Wine Independent

93/100 Jeannie Cho Lee, Master of Wine

18/20 La Revue du Vin de France

Om Château Braniare-Ducru

Grand Vin: Château Branaire Ducru, 4. Cru Classé  (1855 Médoc & Graves)
2. Vin: Duluc de Branaire Ducru
Beliggenhed: Saint-Julien
Beplantet areal: 60 ha
Plantede druesorter: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot,  4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc
Fadmodning: 16-20 mdr. | 60-65% ny barrique