2020 Château Branaire Ducru St. Julien 4th Growth

Delve into the illustrious history and exceptional winemaking of Château Branaire Ducru, an estate with roots stretching back to 1680. This storied vineyard, founded by Jean-Baptiste Braneyre, boasts a rich heritage that has shaped its reputation as a premier producer of exquisite Bordeaux wines.

Nestled in the prestigious Saint Julien appellation, Château Branaire Ducru's 60-hectare vineyard thrives on deep gravel and clay soils. This prime terroir, elevated up to 14 meters, is located near the Gironde river, with additional plots near Château Lagrange and Château Talbot. The vineyard's composition—65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot—reflects a perfect balance that enhances the complexity of its wines.

Château Branaire Ducru's journey from a portion of the Beychevelle estate to a renowned 4th Growth vineyard in the 1855 Classification is a testament to its commitment to excellence. Patrick Maroteaux's acquisition in 1988 marked a new era of innovation. Modern techniques, including gravity-fed vinification, were introduced under his stewardship, propelling the estate to new heights. The legacy continues under François Xavier Maroteaux, ensuring that each bottle encapsulates the vineyard's esteemed heritage.

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Already very expressive nose of lovely, ripe fruits. After some aeration in the glass, it offers fine, spicy notes and overall freshness. The palate is very well balanced. Fleshy and yet delicately smooth, with elegant tannins. A long impressive finish. From the beginning to end, the tasting unfolds with a beautiful sense of harmony. This vintage is a blend of all the grape varieties.

Plenty of blackberry, blueberry, lead pencil and violet aromas here that follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. So integrated and polished.Changes a lot in the glass. Thoughtful young red. ~96 James Suckling

An intensely perfumed nose with soft cocoa powder aromas. The texture is alluring, juicy and ripe but lifted, quite dense but also linear, a push-pull of direct fruit and chalky, plump tannins.Rich but not as supple as 2018, a bit more angular. Black cherries, plums and currants on the palate with both a nice sweetness and salinity. Not so easy to taste and understand today, it's thought provoking with lots going on. Great potential for a long life and one to watch!! ~95 Decanter

Rich, juicy and with dense tannins, this wine is full of generous blackberry fruit flavor. The tannins and impressive structure are what show promise for the future. Expect this wine to age well. ~95 Wine Enthusiast

The 2020 Branaire-Ducru will require more patience than the supple, sensual 2019, but it is another strong effort for this overperforming estate. Wafting from the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, plums, pencil shavings, petals, burning embers and discreet hints of new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a concentrated core of vibrant fruit and fine but youthfully firm tannins that assert themselves on the gently chewy finish. ~94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This has a lovely floral lead followed quickly by a very pure and precise beam of cassis and bitter plum fruit.Shows ample structure but this is fine-grained and almost silky in feel, while subtle dark tea, savory and iron notes peek through on the lengthy finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038. ~94 Wine Spectator

Showing beautifully, the deeper purple/ruby-hued 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru offers a deep, masculine bouquet of blackcurrants, plums, smoked tobacco, and iron.This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, nicely balanced Saint-Julien with plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, integrated tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more. ~93 Jeb Dunnuck

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