Château Branaire Ducru, 4ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2003
Elegance and delicacy are Branaire’s bywords. Made of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, the rest being a mix of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the wine displays a soft, rounded fruit character on the nose and a delicate balance on the palate, and just a hint of spice to the clear cassis fruit. A lovely wine for medium-term drinking, it will no doubt be a delight to those who like a classic Branaire.
critic reviews
This fully mature, gorgeous 2003 Branaire Ducru possesses silky tannins, lots of cedary, spice box, floral, black cherry, forest floor and velvety leather-like notes, full body, and an opulent, complex yet elegant style. A beauty of complexity, richness and finesse, it should continue to drink well for another 5-6 years.
(72% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 4.5% petit verdot and 3.5% cabernet franc; 3.75 pH; 13% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Intense mocha and sweet spice notes complicate ripe dark cherry and macerated plum aromas on the very ripe, deep nose. Large-scaled and plush, with ripe but not cooked red and black fruit flavors. Surprisingly lively acidity and seamless tannins give the wine good support. Finishes creamy and long, with a repeating note of mocha. For the most part I am not a fan of the 2003 Bordeaux owing to the furnace-like summer, but the Branaire-Ducru is a knockout and owner Patrick Maroteaux has always told me he thinks it's one of the best wines he has ever made. Not surprisingly in 2003, the grapes were harvested much earlier and faster than usual, between September 9 and 24.