2023, Château Branaire-Ducru, SAINT-JULIEN, 4ème Grand Cru Classé

Last Year EP $86.00-

A classic Saint Julien château that produces wines of real St Julien class and structure. Purchased by the late Patrick Maroteaux in 1988, it is now run by his son Francois-Xavier.
The 2023 is 61% Cabernet Sauvignnon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3.5% Petit Verdot. 60% new oak.

The 2023 Branaire-Ducru has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with classy aromas of dark berries, plums, pencil shavings and liquorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, cool and layered palate that's seamless, complete and enveloping, with terrific depth and vibrancy of fruit, refined tannins and a long, suave finish. It's almost the same blend as the 2022, though  it's more classically proportioned. 93-94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate.

Really fragrant on the nose; graphite and liquorice, dark blackcurrant and bramble fruit elements with highly-charged floral aromatics. Smells rich and ripe but clean also. Precise and finessed, this has a lovely energy straight away, great movement and motion from start to finish. Juicy and supple, crunchy, really lovely acidity, not too sharp or too tart with fine tannins that give such a lovely frame. This is streamlined but is given some weight by the ripe fruit and some texture by the soft stoniness. Pretty and stylish and still packing some power. I like this a lot, still with freshness and cool undertones. Hints of cedar and spiced mint on the finish with some graphite and wet stone too. 95 Georgina Hindle, Decanter.

Lucid purple in colour, it has a charming, very pure bouquet, perhaps less opulent than some of its Saint-Julien peers, yet precise. Delicate floral scents permeate the predominant red fruit, never bursting from the glass but unfurling with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgy tannins that impart tension, veering slightly more to black fruit on the mid-palate. This is certainly one of the most elegant Branaire-Ducru vintages to date. Understated and sapid, it should be open for business a little earlier than others, but it will age well over 20 to 25 years.
92-94 Neal Martin.

Bright fruits, slate tannins, peony florals, black tea, tobacco and tons of St Julien finesse. Cabernet dominant in aromatics and fruit character, a delicious Branaire.
94 Jane Anson.