Château Branaire-Ducru 2020

Château Branaire-Ducru is situated in what some refer to as the, “golden triangle,” of Saint Julien terroir.  Super Second powerhouses like Château Ducru-Beaucaillou and Château Léoville Barton are a mere five minutes’ walk from this humble Fourth Growth estate.  It is apparent the property has unbelievable terroir and is capable of producing some excellent wines.  Yet despite all this, Château Branaire-Ducru is still relatively unknown and is considered a fantastic value among Saint Julien wines.    

The history of this quiet estate dates all the way back to 1680, when it was a part of the massive Beycheville Estate.  The owner of Château Beycheville passed away and left a formidable debt behind.  His descendants portioned off the vineyards and sold them off in order to rectify the situation.  One of these portions happened to be what is now Château Branaire-Ducru.  The first influential owner of the estate was Jean-Baptiste Branaire, after whom the estate receives a portion of its namesake.  The property was initially called Branyare Duluc until the 1880s and the spelling of the estate’s name changed many times throughout the course of history as the property was forging its identity.  The Château was built in 1824, and it took almost 200 years until Château Branaire-Ducru received the name it has today.  

Perhaps the most important owner who made sweeping changes to the property was Patrick Maroteaux, who bought Branaire-Ducru in 1988 from the Tapie family.  Patrick was a gentleman who managed to find success in multiple professions.  It seemed everything he touched turned to gold.  At first Patrick was a successful banker, then switched courses to the sugar industry.  When he decided to commit to the wine trade, he purchased Château Branaire-Ducru and invested his heart and soul into the property.  Patrick Maroteaux saw the opportunity in Saint Julien, and often remarked how it seemed like a, “horse race,” of people snapping up properties in this area of undervalued terroir.

After acquiring Château Branaire-Ducru, he reduced yields and increased the size of the vineyards by 10-hectares.  He hired some top-notch talent – including Philippe Dhalluin.  Dhalluin started his career at Branaire-Ducru prior to moving on to Pauillac First Growth, Château Mouton Rothschild.  But Patrick Maroteaux didn’t stop there -- he also was a mover and shaker in Bordeaux and served as president of the Union Grand Crus de Bordeaux.   

The estate practices sustainable viticulture and the winery is a  gravity-flow operation.  There is some truly exceptional talent here -- such as consultants Jacques and Eric Boissenot and their new gifted winemaker, Jean Domenique Videau.  Interestingly enough, Château Branaire-Ducru is very much a family run operation despite the tragic passing of Patrick Maroteaux in 2017.  The wines from this property have a signature spiciness, with a lot of chocolatey and vanilla qualities that makes them easily recognizable.  In terms of critical acclaim, the accolades have steadily begun to creep in throughout the years and the estate is yet to have its moment.  Without a doubt, Château Branaire-Ducru is a rising star. 

"The 2020 Branaire-Ducru displays a deep garnet-purple color and pronounced blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves and boysenberries scents, plus hints of sautéed herbs, unsmoked cigars and graphite. The medium-bodied palate has a lot of verve, delivering appealing tension among the tightly wound black fruits and grainy tannins, finishing with an herbal lift." Lisa Perotti-Brown, May 2021 Week 3, The Wine Advocate (05/20/2021) Rating 91-93+ Drink: 2024-2042

"Firm tannins, medium intensity colour, austere tannins, but a lovely depth to the cassis and blueberry fruit, balanced and finessed with deft and confident control exerted by the tannic architecture. As it opens a seductive creaminess arrives with blackberry, tobacco and grilled sandalwood oak. Great St Julien balance." Jane Anson, Best Saint Julién 2020 Wines Tasted En Primeur (01/07/2023), Rating 93 Drink: 2028-2042

"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." Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2020: En Primeur (3/29/2023) Rating: 93+ Drink: 2027-2047

"The 2020 Branaire-Ducru is utterly magnificent. A wine of extraordinary depth and dimension, the 2020 possesses tremendous intensity right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice, cloves and lavender build as into the explosive, palate-staining finish. I don't think I have ever tasted a Branaire quite like this." Antonio Galloni, Vinous (June, 2021) Rating: 94-96

''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.'' William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (04/06/2023) Ratings: 94 Drink: 2027-2055