Branaire Ducru - Saint-Julien 2022

Alexandre Ma

96

byAlexandre Mathe3/10/2025

The fruitiness is lush and abundant, with tannins as light as silk threads. The fragrance of violet whispers delicately in the glass, like a dragon spiraling gracefully through the mountains. Château Branaire-Ducru has always been known for its slim and elegant frame, but in the intense heat and high concentration vintage in 2022, it has achieved an unexpected level of finesse. Thanks to cold fermentation and gentle extraction, this wine embodies “exquisiteness” in every drop. The finish, marked by a refined “salty freshness,” effortlessly showing the profound elegance of a reserved style. Highly recommended!

Wine Advocate

96

byWilliam Kelleythe3/7/2025

The 2022 Branaire-Ducru has turned out just as brilliantly as I had hoped. Offering up a deep bouquet of crème de cassis and blackberries mingled with pencil shavings, burning embers and cigar box, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and unctuous, with a rich core of fruit, lively acids and sweet structuring tannins. Iterated and complete, it concludes with a long, broad finish. This blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot is worth a special effort to seek out.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

96

byJane Ansonthe3/7/2025

As ever an understated classified wine, not pushing too far even among the exuberance of 2022, instead delivering fragrant, peony-laced cassis fruits laced with slate and graphite. An exceptional example of this property. Owner François-Xavier Maroteaux.

The Wine Cellar Insider

97

byJeff Levethe3/4/2025

Branaire-Ducru, Château

Jeb DUNNUCK

97

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

Darker currants, leafy herbs, graphite, tobacco, and subtle orange zest-like nuances all emerge from the 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru, a ripe, concentrated, flawlessly balanced Saint-Julien. With medium to full-bodied richness, a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, and plenty of tannins, it's another no-brainer of a 2022 that readers will love to have in their cellar. The 2022 is 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak.

Yvesbeck.wine

95

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 2.5% Petit Verdot Comme à son habitude, Branaire-Ducru se révèle pas à pas, avec finesse et subtilité. Il commence par afficher un peu de réduction, un garant fiable en matière de garde. Avec un peu d'air, ce sont de subtiles nuances de framboises, de mûres et de réglisse qui apparaissent et consolident la pluralité. Fin et linéaire, le vin est porté par des tannins offrant non seulement une belle assise, mais conférant une puissance insoupçonnée dans ce contexte de finesse et d'harmonie. Un vin dédié à la mesure, aux détails, à l'aptitude à briller sans fracas, juste avec délicatesse. Dégusté en écoutant Adagio en G mineur. 2027-2042 95/100

Vinous

96

byNeal Martinthe2/12/2025

The 2022 Branaire Ducru, bottled mid-June, was one of the most impressive I tasted from barrel. It retains a wonderful bouquet with more red fruit compared to its peers, hints of iodine and a touch of desiccated orange peel. The wine shows fine, almost clinical delineation. It is medium-bodied with an extremely well balanced palate, slightly powdery tannins and a sense of tension and brightness that, like some of the best Saint-Juliens in 2022, puts it above the 2019 or 2020. Quite linear and mineral-driven towards the sapid finish, this is a classic Branaire-Ducru that will age with style in bottle.

Jamessuckling.com

96

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2025

Blackcurrants and pencil shavings with such intense but subtle character on the nose. Some crushed stones as well. Full-bodied and dense with layers of polished tannins that are integrated and focused, creamy and caressing. Very long and persistent. 60.5% cabernet sauvignon, 31.5% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc and 2.5% petit verdot. Best after 2028.

Vinous

95

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

The 2022 Branaire-Ducru is a dense, plush wine, atypically so for a Saint-Julien that is usually more reserved. Unctuous in feel, with superb balance, the 2022 Branaire-Ducru is quite the extrovert. Soft contours wrap around a core of dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather, espresso and licorice. Yields were 33HL per hectare, lower than the historical norm here in the upper 30s/lower 40s because of stress on the vines. The 2022 spent 16 months in French oak, with 60% new wood. This is a decidedly exotic Branaire-Ducru. I can't wait to see how it ages. Tasted two times.

Wine Spectator

95

byJames Molesworththe1/27/2025

A mix of mulled boysenberry and blackberry fruit, dried violet, iris and lively licorice snap notes gives this a textbook and very aromatic St.-Julien profile. A sleek iron detail courses underneath, allowing the fruit to sail unhindered through the finish, flanked judiciously by singed apple wood. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2042. 12,500 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.

Wine Maniacs

94-95

byLin Liuthe5/30/2023

Decanter.com

97

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

One of the standouts of the vintage that impressed equally on three different occasions. Fragrant and expressive on the nose, lovely scents and dark fruits. Smooth and crisp, silky but concentrated, such precision and detail straight away with succulent and juicy acidity. There’s concentration no doubt, it’s ripe and intense, the dark perfumed blackcurrants and black cherries give a serious backbone and tension to the wine, while the minty, stony freshness carries the flavour and gives the energy and definition. Excellently weighted on the palate, with structure and a mouthwatering sensation that comes in once the weight settles. So well constructed with a beautiful texture and overall integration of all the elements. Exceptional quality and drinkability on offer with a delicious salty, graphite and flint finish that puts you at the estate. Overlook this at your peril. 2.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65pH. Harvest 12 - 24 September. 60% grand vin production. A yield of 34hl/ha. Tasted three times. This vintage was the first to be made 100% in the new cellar with double the number of vats than were available in 2020 for more precise fermentations. HVE3 certified. Harvest 12 September - 24 September.

Alexandre Ma

94-96

byAlexandre Mathe5/17/2023

The fruitiness is brimming, the tannins are delicate, and the violet is softly singing in the glass, this is a prime example of Saint-Julien. The ethereal beauty and slender body have long been the hallmarks of Château Branaire-Ducru. Yet, against all odds, it retains an incredible freshness in the warm, concentrated vintage like 2022. Thanks to cooler temperature fermentation and gentle extraction, this wine offers a vivid interpretation of "refinement" and a touch of savory on the finish. Hushed in youth and poised to blossom with age, this is the Wine that I highly recommend to Bordeaux enthusiasts.

Vinous

95-97

byNeal Martinthe5/17/2023

The 2022 Branaire Ducru was harvested from 12-24 September at 34.5hL/ha, the blend representative of their vineyard plantings. This feels refined and focused on the nose with plush red berry fruit, dried rose petals and orange rind scents. Classic Branaire. The palate is fresh on the entry with pliant tannins. It's very well structured to the degree that it conveys a sense of symmetry. Lightly spiced toward the finish with notes of graphite lingering on the aftertaste, this represents an excellent Branaire Ducru that will age over many years and will surely appeal to those seeking more classical Saint-Julien. Tasted three times and was more impressive each time. Branaire-Ducru continues its upward trajectory under proprietor François-Xavier Maroteaux. 14.3% alcohol.

The Vintage Journal

94-95

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2023

Deep crimson. Ripe blackcurrant, mulberry, cacao aromas with some mineral notes. Generous and silky textured with ample dark berry/ plummy fruits, supple tannins and savoury notes. Bulds up chalky and minerally at the finish. (Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc 60% new oak)

matthewjukes.com

18,5

byMatthew Jukesthe5/15/2023

The Wine Independent

94-96

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/15/2023

The 2022 Branaire-Ducru is made from 60.5% CS, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petit Verdot with a yield of 34.5 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gallops out of the glass with energetic notes of crushed blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and juicy plums, plus suggestions of clove oil, fertile loam, and dried lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate has a lot of elegance and finesse for its density and hefty weight, featuring lively black fruit layers and an approachable, grainy texture, finishing on a mineral note. Nicely done! The pH is 3.65.

Yvesbeck.wine

94-96

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Un peu sur la défensive au début, Branaire Ducru se révèle de manière progressive et subtile. La donne change drastiquement après quelques minutes puisque le bouquet affiche un fruit éclatant, avec beaucoup de fraîcheur à la clé. Il révèle également des nuances épicées et florales, ce qui ne fait que souligner la complexité et le temps nécessaire pour approcher ce vin. Il le confirme d'ailleurs très bien au niveau gustatif ; ses tannins sont fins et bien intégrés tandis que la fraîcheur assure les arrières tout en soutenant l'expression et la persistance de la finale. Un Branaire-Ducru délicat, subtil, qui se révèle pas à pas, prudemment, mais avec conviction.

Bettane & Desseauve

94

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

Sans doute le plus complet des années récentes, beau nez de cèdre, belle texture, précis et harmonieux. Certes, un peu moins de vinosité que certains voisins mais avec une finesse d’ensemble de plus en plus lisible.

Jeb DUNNUCK

95-97

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

An absolute gem of a Saint-Julien, the 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru clocks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Pure cassis, black raspberries, spicy wood, and dried flower notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant, beautifully balanced mouthfeel, and terrific tannins. In addition, it has a sense of freshness and purity that keeps you coming back to the glass. It's clearly the finest wine I've tasted from this château, which going forward merits serious attention.

Vinous

94-96

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 Branaire-Ducru is a powerhouse, almost unnaturally so for this Saint-Julien, which is usually a more understated wine. A blast of dark plum fruit makes a pretty strong first impression. Licorice, cloves, spice, menthol and chocolate fill out the layers. Readers should expect a concentrated, virile Saint-Julien with compelling aromatic presence. In this warm, low-yielding vintage, Branaire is quite the brooding powerhouse. It will be interesting to see if more finesse develops in time. Impressive. Tasted two times. Drinking window : 2030-2052

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

Deep in color, the wine displays its bouquet of flowers before getting to all of its dark, red fruits, spice, mocha, nutmeg, vanilla, and black cherries. While the aromatics are enticing, it is on the palate, with all of its silky-textures, creaminess, energy and most importantly, purity of fruit and concentration that provides you with the best part of the experience. The finish has never been this defined, elegant and concentrated in any previous vintage of Branaire Ducru. This is an entirely new level of quality here. Clearly, this is the best vintage of Branaire Ducru ever produced! The wine blends 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petit Verdot. 14.3% ABV, 3.65 pH. The harvest took place September 12 - September 24. The yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2027-2060.

Wine Advocate

95-97

byWilliam Kelleythe5/2/2023

A brilliant wine that's the finest young vintage I've tasted at this Saint-Julien estate, the 2022 Branaire-Ducru wafts from the glass with aromas of violets, blackberries, sweet cassis, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional palate that's succulent, sapid and perfumed, framed by supple tannins and concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot that checks in at a healthy pH of 3.65. Why is it so good this year? In addition to the quality of the vintage, the new gravity-flow winery means fruit can be handled more gently, and picked more precisely, sub-block by sub-block, as the team now have fully 63 vats at their disposal, almost double their capacity through 2020. Given the Maroteaux family's sensible approach to pricing, this is likely to number among the must-purchase wines of the 2022 vintage, and it comes warmly recommended.

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

The fine and intense tannins are very impressive because they fold beautifully into the wine, with blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of chocolate and hazelnuts. It's full-bodied with tight and focused fruit and a long and classy finish. Fantastic definition to this. Fresh. 60.5% cabernet sauvignon, 31.5% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc, and 2.5% petit verdot.