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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.9 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 55 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by mikelikewine on 5/4/2024 & rated 94 points: From 375. Decanted 3 hours. Amazing how approachable this is already. It’s obviously young but I don’t personally see this needing years of cellaring. Nose was quite open after the decant. Oak is not overpowering and tannins didn’t really dry my mouth at all. Yet more confirmation of how great the 2019 vintage is, and at the price this is great value. (2357 views) | | | Tasted by SlapTheBag on 4/30/2024: Big and ripe wine with lots of dark fruit, sweet tabaco and damp earth. For such a young wine there was lots of depth and tannins are surprisingly integrated. (2732 views) | | | Tasted by anthroman on 4/28/2024: An excellent showing from this bottle today. Gave it around 3 hours of air. We expected this to be somewhat shut down but it showed very expressive cassis, tobacco, earth, and cedar notes. The palate was concentrated and generous while still holding something in reserve: leather, dark fruits, and polished tannins heading into the finish. The whole showed impressive integration for such a young wine and I'm optimistic about its medium- and long-term future. (2875 views) | | | Tasted by ares77 on 2/18/2024 & rated 92 points: Best on day 1 and day 4 so far. I get loads of bell pepper, some pipe tobacco and cedar. Lovely wine at an amazing value. (5280 views) | | | Tasted by Rieslingfan on 1/18/2024: This was $42 on futures. Seriously, $42. What an incredible bargain. The depth and balance are classic Branaire, but to get that level with a different label would probably be three times the price. Of course I don’t want another label. This one has been a favorite for many years, and continues to this day. St. Julien is my sweet spot for Bordeaux, and this is exactly what I am looking for. (5933 views) | | | Tasted by WhooskeyWine on 11/11/2023 & rated 92 points: Dark ruby hue. Notes of bell pepper, blackberry, blueberry, bramble, and tar. Medium-high tannins and acidity. Rich, round tannins. Well-balanced. 56 Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 Merlot, 5 Petit Verdot, 4 Cabernet Franc. (6636 views) | | | Tasted by Shugs_Claret on 11/5/2023 & rated 90 points: A little restrained on opening. No time to decant. Dark fruit > red fruit on the nose with some coaxing. Fairly giving in its youth. Cassis, dark cherries, a little hint of residual new oak. Less polished and not as much breadth as the 16 but nonetheless enjoyable with room for improvement with bottle age. (6239 views) | | | Tasted by kostaslonis on 10/31/2023: 2019 Bordeaux Tasting, MW tasting (Vintner's Hall, London): 56% CS 35% Mer 5% PV 4% CS, 13.50%
Tight, dense fruit core, blue fruit, juicy sweet floral notes.
Palate shows density, fruit core, fresh oak frame, spices, heady notes, juicy but also angular tannins, full body and long finish (5107 views) | | | Tasted by Everything Ahead on 10/27/2023 & rated 93 points: This was decanted for a few hours and followed over two nights. It was best pretty soon out of the gate before it closed down, exuding lots of dark fruits (cassis, plum, blueberry), a steely minerality, and some new oak toastiness. It is quite primary now. This wine is not a monster, it is all about balance. An elegant, classic St Julien that really tastes like it is from that appellation (and reminds me of a less intense LLC) and no other. This is a no brainer to lay down for 10-20 years and let the latent complexities in the wine emerge slowly over time. Highly recommended, especially for the price (paid in the mid-$40 range) (5838 views) | | | Tasted by A&C on 9/17/2023 & rated 95 points: I realize I am drinking this young, but it is a 350 ml bottle, so who cares. I needed something to pair with the feast I prepared for my family before I headed out tonight to see Devon Allman & Donovan Frankenreiter. I often cook a feast for my lovely wife and daughter before I go to a concert. Concerts start late, and why not enjoy a beautiful early fall/summer night on the patio with my family before the show? This wine is delicious. While young, the underlying fruit is fantastic. Really beautiful. It is a big wine, with really delicious bold ripe fruit, and it is incredibly integrated. I let it breathe for a couple of hours before dinner, and there are still a lot of tannins here, but the kick-ass fruit is as well. This is a beauty. Paired great with a lemon-herb chicken that I marinated for 3 hours, and then slow cooked in the oven (along with saffron rice, and a beautiful autumn salad I prepared with fresh peaches, and incredible farmers market fresh veggies). I really enjoy cooking at home during the fall when my daughter is back in school, and the bounty of the earth is ripe. Such a great wine for a wonderful dinner. Now, off to rock out to Devon Allman (Gregg Allman's son) and former pro surfer Donovan Frankenreiter. Hope I get to watch some ripping guitars. Cheers. (6279 views) | | | Tasted by Matt Scott on 9/3/2023 & rated 95 points: Consumed over two days. Black cherry, camphor, cassis, tobacco and liquid rock. Long and almost savory, with a full body and fine, silky tannins. Layers and layers of red and noir fruit. There’s cut and definition. Reminds me a little of the ‘03 meets ‘16, with its own style. Elegant and very appealing today, yet will improve over a few years, and can be studied for many. Drink 2027 -. (6314 views) | | | Tasted by SuperSomm on 7/23/2023 & rated 92 points: Deep ruby colour. Pronounced and developing nose with blackcurrant, green bell pepper, eucalyptus, black pepper, licorice, cloves, cedar, smoke and coffee. Pronounced taste of blackcurrant, green bell pepper, eucalyptus, black pepper, licorice, cloves, cedar and smoke. Long and dry finish. High acidity. High tannins. Medium body. A very good St. Julien. Drink in ten to twenty years. Goes well with beef or lamb. (3734 views) | | | Tasted by TomTom on 7/6/2023: Expressive nose. After the first decant, it is a bit reserved, but opened up after an hour an a half. This is good now, but seems like it’s going to be really good in 10 years or so. What a great QPR. (6813 views) | | | Tasted by ayalao3 on 6/5/2023 & rated 94 points: Enjoyable after 2 hour decant. Tight as expected for the age but a good wine. 93-94 (7756 views) | | | Tasted by Collector1855 on 5/14/2023 & rated 93 points: Bordeaux 2022 en Primeur and some recent vintages: An elegant wine, very classic, for purists. Attractively priced. (9650 views) | | | Tasted by fussyeater on 4/24/2023: Cassis and spice on the nose. Full bodied with quite firm yet regal tannins, tons of midpalate fruit and a little spice. Good freshness despite its youth. Leave well alone, for my palate it needs at least 15 years+. From a bottle decanted and followed over dinner in a domestic setting. (6969 views) | | | Tasted by ayalao3 on 4/24/2023 & rated 94 points: Enjoyable now. Will develop nicely (8103 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 4/21/2023 & rated 93 points: Deep, dark garnet in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, & plums with floral notes of violets & earthy/dusty notes, anise, mocha, herbs, spices & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, plush, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with spices, herbs, gravel, minerals & a hint of mocha/cocoa. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present & should develop further with additional aging. (6794 views) | | | Tasted by ohne_musik on 4/18/2023 & rated 93 points: From 375. Ripe on the nose for Branaire, full of exotic and voluptuous black fruits that suggests Poyferré or perhaps a wine from Margaux, mroe than this stalwart QPR of St. Julien. Palate is more taut, but still with a sunny disposition of black plum and blackcurrant, clay, gravel, and a bit of green stemmy-tasting herbs. Tannins are fine, lightly chalky, and resolve into a taut, more classically st. Julien finish. Definitely more approachable than the 2018 at this point, which expressed more classic, slightly rustic tannins. Not sure how long-lived this wine will be (certainly 15-20 years, but maybe not 30), but highly enjoyable now!! (7053 views) | | | Tasted by bordeauxman777 on 4/12/2023 & rated 94 points: Stunning effort! This wine is very young at this point, however one can tell it is special. Elegant, complex and wonderfully ethereal, this shows dusty tannins and lingering potential. On day two, the wine started to close even further than I found it on day one, so patience will be required. But when this beauty is ready - hold on to your hats...! Especially lovely! (6858 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 4/6/2023: Second of two bottles in the past couple weeks. This one, just as with the first, was very impressive. (6610 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 3/30/2023: -- decanted 1 hr. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hrs --
NOSE: savory; high-toned; purple-fruited; noticeable oak; pretty expressive. The aromatics on display here are stop-you-in-your-tracks material --- engaging, pleasant, open, and not oak-dominated.
BODY: violet color; medium bodied.
TASTE: very nice! high acidity; purple-fruited, with earthy tones and some oak; a touch inky; not overripe/gloppy/thick; not very tannic; labelled at 13.5% alc., but it seems a bit more; I like this more than the '19 d'Issan, but it's a close race --- and that's not to suggest they're similar, because they're really not --- this Branaire seems to be more focused at present, and the overall flavor profile is just a bit more to my liking (the Branaire is burlier than the more elegant d'Issan). Realllllly impressive wine, particularly given its recent $37 price tag at Costco. I drank one bottle, then went back and loaded up. Gut impression score: 93 - 95. (6132 views) | | | Tasted by LoireFan on 3/14/2023 & rated 91 points: Needs a lot of time. (6736 views) | | | Tasted by pavel_p on 12/3/2022 & rated 92 points: UGC 2019 Singapore (Singapore): Very nice freshness, wood well integrated, good length too. Am usually not a big fan of Branaire but this is very well done and better than Beychevelle preceding it in my eyes. 91-92 (8092 views) | | | Tasted by remyworldpeace on 12/1/2022: Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2019 Vintage Tasting, Singapore: Tasted at UGC Bordeaux 2019 tasting in Singapore.
Unfortunately something a bit out of place structure wise and seemed too alcoholic. Hopefully it will soften with some age.
Too young to score but anticipated range 87-90. (8327 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Andy Howard MW
Decanter, Bordeaux 2019 IMW tasting (10/31/2023)
(Château Branaire-Ducru, Cabernet Sauvignon, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/11/2023)
(Ch Branaire-Ducru St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Bordeaux 2019: The Southwold Tasting (Feb 2023) (2/1/2023)
(Branaire Ducru Branaire Ducru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/18/2023)
(Ch Branaire-Ducru St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2019 Bordeaux from Bottle: The Two Towers (Feb 2022) (2/1/2022)
(Branaire-Ducru Branaire-Ducru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Omne Trium Perfectum: Bordeaux 2019s in Bottle (Feb 2022) (2/1/2022)
(Branaire-Ducru Branaire Ducru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Georgina Hindle
Decanter, Bordeaux 2019 in bottle: St-Julien (1/5/2022)
(Château Branaire-Ducru, Cabernet Sauvignon, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (12/6/2021)
(Château Branaire-Ducru St.-Julien , France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, December 2021 (12/1/2021)
(Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (11/10/2021)
(Ch Branaire-Ducru St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/20/2021)
(Ch Branaire-Ducru St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, October 2021 (10/1/2021)
(Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, BORDEAUX 2019: A Modern-Day Version of 1982? (6/30/2020)
(Chateau Branaire-Ducru) Login and sign up and see review text. | JancisRobinson.com (6/5/2020)
(Ch Branaire-Ducru St-Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (6/2/2020)
(Château Branaire-Ducru St.-Julien, Red, France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2019 Bordeaux: A Long, Strange Trip (Jun, 2020) (6/1/2020)
(Branaire-ducru Branaire-ducru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Uncertain Smile: Bordeaux 2019 (Jun 2020) (6/1/2020)
(Branaire-ducru Branaire Ducru Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, June 2020 (6/1/2020)
(Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, Bordeaux En Primeur 2019 St-Julien (5/15/2020)
(Château Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Georgina Hindle
Decanter, Château Branaire-Ducru: producer profile
(Château Branaire-Ducru, Cabernet Sauvignon, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and JamesSuckling.com and Winedoctor and JebDunnuck.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Branaire-Ducru Producer website
Addt'l Info
A visit to the estate of Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien Bordeaux -
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-visit-to-chateau-branaire-ducru.htmlRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.St. Julien VdB
Read more detailed information on St. Julien and its wines The seventeenth century pioneers Traces are to be found of a Saint-Julien de Rintrac, perhaps Saint-Julien's earliest name, as from the thirteenth century. But we have to wait until the seventeenth century pioneers, urban and rural aristocrats, discover the exceptional merits of these terroirs.
Traces of this system still exist today in the structure of estates within the appellation: by the side of the two villages of Beychevelle and Saint-Julien, the large estates are heavily preponderant, representing more than four fifths of the total surface of vineyards.
The terrain is practically identical over all the commune. Only the proximity of the estuary, sometimes close, sometimes further away, can cause slight variations in climate. In fact, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle's layer of gravel takes the form of a huge rectangle over 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. And the alluvial deposits are particularly well fragmented into ridges of Garonne gravel of the early Quaternary. Accordingly, the vines are safeguarded from stagnant water.
The wines from the Saint-Julien appellation may be recognized by their unparalleled bouquet, particularly harmonious and mild. They have a fine deep colour and combine the finesse of their aromas and a solid constitution. They have body, are very rich in flavour and have a delicious and delicate bouquet.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Saint-Julien appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Saint-Julien and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cussac, and Saint-Laurent, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions: grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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