Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2020

A perfectly balanced great red wine from Saint-Julien, elegant and dense at the same time

The estate

A Grand Cru Classe of 1855, Chateau Branaire-Ducru is one of the greatest names of the Saint-Julien appellation. Owned by Francois Xavier Maroteaux, the son of the late Patrick Maroteaux, and managed by Jean-Dominique Videau, Chateau Branaire-Ducru offers, vintage after vintage, a superb expression of this great terroir on the left bank of Bordeaux, through wines recognised for their elegance, their velvety texture on the palate and their remarkable consistency.

The vineyard

Following an expansion by 10 hectares in 2009, Chateau Branaire-Ducru vineyard covers 60 hectares of land. The vines, aged 35 years on average (but some of which are one hundred years old) are planted in soils of gravel-siliceous alluvium from the Quaternary era. This is one of the warmest terroirs of the region, allowing late-ripening grape varieties to develop fully, while also ensuring perfect phenolic maturation. The grape varieties of the estate are representative of the Medoc, with a majority of the plantings dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) with 4% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.

The vintage

At Chateau Branaire-Ducru, the 2020 vintage opened with a particularly mild and rainy winter. This promoted soil regeneration and water reserves. Due to these climatic conditions, vine budding was early. Spring was a continuation of winter, with mild temperatures and multiple rainy spells. Flowering took place during a short hot and dry period in mid-May. From the start of summer, the climate became dry again and temperatures gradually increased. At the beginning of September, the lack of rain and the high temperatures allowed the berries to ripen to perfection.

The blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (58%), Merlot (32%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Cabernet Franc (3%).

The tasting

Color

The 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru reveals itself to be a deeply colored wine.

Nose

The aromatic bouquet is pure and expressive. A range of very ripe fruits with great finesse meet subtle, spicy touches and fresher notes, giving the wine a beautiful balance.

Palate

The 2020 Chateau Branaire-Ducru is a wine with a very round attack, subsequently revealing a nice fleshiness. This style offers all of the finesse and density of particularly elegant tannins. The length of the aromas on the palate is remarkable.