Château Branaire Ducru, 4ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2018

Name: Château Branaire Ducru, 4ème Cru Classé, St Julien
Brand: Château Branaire Ducru
Price: 300.32 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2009 2012 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024

justerini & brooks tasting note

This is another solid effort, with a slight aniseed aroma on the nose, then hints of toast, gravel and wild bramble fruit. This is firm, but quite well concentrated with a well-judged finish and admirable length. Another dependable effort that should provide good mid-term drinking.

critic reviews

92/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown,The Wine Independent

The 2018 Branaire-Ducru has a deep garnet-purple color. It delivers pronounced scents of crème de cassis, stewed plums, and fruitcake, with hints of allspice, tobacco, and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich and velvety with plenty of freshness and a long spicy finish.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2037

date of review 02/2023

93/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2018 Branaire-Ducru has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and an upfront, expressive nose of baked black plums, boysenberries and Morello cherries with an undercurrent of dried mint, spice box and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate packs a very pleasant fruit wallop, featuring juicy black fruits and a firm, grainy frame, finishing long with lovely purity.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2043

date of review 03/2021

93/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2018 Branaire-Ducru was picked from September 19 until October 10 at 53hl/ha and is currently being aged in 60% new oak. It has retained the sophisticated bouquet that I found last year, featuring beautifully defined blackberry and cedar and hints of iris flower and rose petals. The palate is well defined with good density and backbone, something that you could argue was missing from Branaire-Ducru in the 1990s and early 2000s. It gently fans out on the finish but never wants to create too much of a commotion – that’s not its style. This indicates a property that is finding a new lease on life. Excellent.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2045

date of review 03/2021