Château Branaire Ducru, 4ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2023
Branaire Ducru has been on great form in recent years. We tasted this bottle at the St Julien UGC and were impressed by its ease and flow. It doesn't seem to be the most ambitious Branaire, it's rather genteel with a brightness and charm to its fruit and a dollop of toasty oak on the finish. We expect this to bulk out during élevage. 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 3.5% Petit Verdot.
critic reviews
The 2023 Branaire-Ducru is a real success, revealing aromas of dark berries, plums, licorice and lead pencil, subtly accented by spice. Medium- to full-bodied, seamless and layered, it is built around a vibrant, finely delineated core of fruit framed by powdery tannins, concluding with a long, perfumed and sapid finish.
Supremely classic and balanced, great appellation typicity, a little subdued at this early stage, has the austerity of the vintage, but gives lift with floral rose bud, black tea, saffron, slate. 53hl/ha yields.
The 2023 Branaire Ducru was bottled at the end of June. It has a more generous bouquet than anticipated, black plum and raspberry fruit laced with cinnamon and graphite scents, typically Saint-Julien. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a bright, quite high-toned entry with top notes of blue fruit, again, that graphite edge, plus a little tarriness toward the nicely structured finish. Classic claret through and through, which is just what you want from Branaire Ducru, this will drink sooner than the previous vintage.
The 2023 Branaire-Ducru is deep garnet-purple in color. It reveals fragrant scents of crushed blackcurrants, Morello cherries, and lavender oil, giving way to hints of graphite, tar, and aniseed. The medium-bodied palate delivers a good amount of black berry flavors, with savory accents and ripe, grainy tannins to support, finishing with an herbal lift.