Branaire Ducru - Saint-Julien 2023

Vinous

93

byNeal Martinthe2/1/2026

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.

Jamessuckling.com

95

byJames Sucklingthe1/27/2026

Classic Saint-Julien with a layer of minerals over the fruit, showing clear aromas of cassis and citrus plus a touch of fine, roasted spices. A hint of graphite and tobacco. Medium-bodied, taut and precise, with intensity and a long, integrated finish. This is more about elegance than power and density. A blend of 61% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc and 3.5% petit verdot. Drinkable now but better from 2027.

My Bettane + Desseauve

93-94

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/15/2024

Belle réussite avec ce qu’il faut de corps dans ce millésime et un grain de tannin assez aristocratique. Avenir assuré et rapport qualité-prix excellent.

Yvesbeck.wine

95-96

byYves Beckthe5/14/2024

Branaire Ducru hat es immer verstanden, Finesse zu verkörpern und sie zu seinem Leitmotiv, seinem roten Faden, zu machen. Das hindert ihn natürlich nicht daran, sich mit Klarheit und Gelassenheit zu positionieren. Das Bouquet offenbart einladende Nuancen von Süßholz und Eukalyptus, die von Noten schwarzer Johannisbeeren ergänzt werden. Im Auftakt zeigt der Wein eine schöne Dichte. Er entfaltet sich harmonisch dem Gaumen entlang und verfügt über samtene Tannine, die im Einklang mit der knackigen Säurestruktur stehen. Ein subtiler, harmonischer und schmackhafter Wein!

Jeb DUNNUCK

93-95

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/13/2024

Located just across from Château Beychevelle, the 2023 Château Branaire-Ducru reveals a dense ruby/purple hue as well as absolute classic notes of red and blue fruits, spring flowers, sappy, and cedarwood. It's medium to full-bodied, has a supple, layered, elegant mouthfeel, remarkable purity, and ultra-fine tannins. It's one hell of a classy, balanced 2023 that will have 20+ years of prime drinking.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95

byJeff Levethe5/6/2024

Showing a depth in the color, aromatically, the wine exudes blackberries, plums, charcoal, tobacco, black currants, cinnamon, and flowers in the perfume. Palate-wise, the wine is perfectly balanced between its silky textures and vibrant acidities. The finish is soft, polished, refined, and flavorful, leaving you with hints of turmeric, chocolate, and sweet, black currants. This is clearly a top vintage of Branaire Ducru! The length of the harvest, with the extra hang time, gave the team the chance to pick when they wanted to. This is a wine that is going to age quite well, yet it will be delicious to drink with just a few years of aging. The wine blends 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 3.5% Petit Verdot. 13.1% ABV, 3.63 pH. The harvest took place September 12 - October 4. Yields were large at 53 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2028-2060. 93-95 Pts.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

94

byJane Ansonthe5/6/2024

Bright fruits, slate tannins, peony florals, black tea, tobacco and tons of St Julien finesse. Cabernet dominant in aroamtics and fruit character, a delicious Branaire. 53hl/ha yields.

Vinous

91-93

byAntonio Gallonithe4/30/2024

The 2023 Branaire-Ducru offers up pretty notes of crushed red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, spice and mint. At this stage, the 2023 comes across as a bit light, even within the context of this property, where the wines are always laid back relative to neighboring estates. Perhaps the 2023 will flesh out over time. We will see. Tasted two times.

Vinous

92-94

byNeal Martinthe4/29/2024

The 2023 Branaire Ducru was picked from September 12, on the same day as last year, albeit with a longer harvest, as they finished on October 4. Yields were 53hL/ha, and the blend is almost the same as the 2022. This is the second vintage made in the new winery. My sample came from a new-oak barrel, but the final blend will include 60%. Lucid purple in color, it has a charming, very pure bouquet, perhaps less opulent than some of its Saint-Julien peers, yet precise. Delicate floral scents permeate the predominant red fruit, never bursting from the glass but unfurling with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgy tannins that impart tension, veering slightly more to black fruit on the mid-palate. This is certainly one of the most elegant Branaire-Ducru vintages to date, but it has more weight on the finish (something that has been addressed in recent years.) Understated and sapid, it should be open for business a little earlier than others, but it will age well over 20 to 25 years.

Falstaff

93

byPeter Moserthe4/29/2024

Dark ruby, purple reflections, brightening on the rim. Floral, red berryish touch, fresh cherries, a hint of cassis and lime zest underneath. Medium complexity, red berryish and fresh, delicate tannins, subtle fruit, a lively food wine, has certain age- ing potential.

Alexandre Ma

94-96

byAlexandre Mathe4/28/2024

Wine Advocate

93-94

byWilliam Kelleythe4/26/2024

The 2023 Branaire-Ducru has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with classy aromas of dark berries, plums, pencil shavings and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, cool and layered palate that's seamless, complete and enveloping, with terrific depth and vibrancy of fruit, refined tannins and a long, suave finish. At 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 3.5% Petit Verdot, it's almost the same blend as the 2022, though at 13.1% alcohol and a pH of 3.63, it's more classically proportioned. Harvest began on September 12 and dragged on through October 4, parcel by parcel, with the vintage's healthy yields meaning the team could use their new winery, equipped with 63 smaller tanks, to keep all those components separate.

Jamessuckling.com

95-96

byJames Sucklingthe4/25/2024

This has so much lead pencil, stone and blackcurrant character, as well as blackberry. It’s medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit and a polished finish. Very classy and structured.

Vertdevin

96

byJonathan Chicheportichethe4/24/2024