2012-CHÂTEAU-BRANAIRE-DUCRU-4ème-Cru-Classé-Saint-Julien

CHÂTEAU BRANAIRE DUCRU

2025 4ème Cru Classé Saint Julien

Grapes Merlot, Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Village Saint Julien
Classification 4ème Cru Classé
ABV 13%

The 2025 Branaire-Ducru is a compelling wine in the making, revealing an open, refined bouquet of cassis, mulberries, spices, flowers and pencil lead, with its new oak largely remaining in the background. Medium- to full-bodied, it’s sapid and perfumed, built around a seamless, layered core of fruit framed by finely grained, velvety tannins and concluding with a long, fresh and precise finish. Matured in 65% new oak, this blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc captures the estate’s signature style—polished, balanced and texturally refined—while clearly reflecting the brightness and freshness of the vintage. Rating: 94-96 Yohan Castaing, www.robertparker.com (May 2026)


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The 2025 Branaire-Ducru is a powerful wine with a darker fruit profile than most years. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, cloves and licorice open first. Floral overtones and brisk acids reappear to perk up the close. A clean, vibrant finish rounds things out in style. This is such a gorgeous and expressive wine. The 2025 is quite simply a fabulous Branaire. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2035 - 2065 Rating: 94-96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2026)

This is a beautifully refined Saint-Julien. Since the arrival of the estate’s new cellar in 2023, all 70 vineyard parcels are now vinified separately, allowing for far greater precision and control in the blending. In a vintage like 2025 this is clear in the wine’s detail and composure. On the nose, it is wonderfully fragrant and expressive, opening with flowers, roses and pink carnations alongside bright red and pink berry fruit. There is immediate charm and generosity here, but the wine steadily tightens and refines across the palate, finishing with real finesse and precision. Sweet strawberry notes and vibrant red fruit glide effortlessly through the mouth, carried by fresh acidity and an almost weightless sense of movement despite the wine’s concentration. A dusting of finely polished tannin brings just enough grip to keep the wine focused and lithe, while the carefully judged oak (60% new) is beautifully integrated shining a light on the wine’s purity and aromatic detail. The result is a wine that combines richness with remarkable lift and purity - reminiscent, says winemaker Jean-Dominique Videau, 'of the structure of 2022 and the lift of 2016, alongside the clarity and complexity of 2020.' It's certainly a deeply charming Branaire-Ducru. One for everyone's cellars!L&S (Apr 2026)

Voluptuous dark fruit, cedar and a touch of tar on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with an expressive yet concentrated profile, a precise structure and fine-grained, high quality tannins. Chiseled and balanced. Rating: 96-97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2026)

Château Branaire Ducru

St Julien Quatrième cru 1855 When the Beychevelle estate was broken up in 1642, in order to pay off the debts of the deceased owner, it gave birth to three Châteaux - Beychevelle, Ducru-Beaucaillou and, the portion purchased by Jean-Baptiste Braneyre, Branaire-Ducru. Jean-Baptiste's daughter married Pierre de Luc and their descendents (morphing into the Duluc family during the Revolution) owned Branaire until 1919. Branaire failed to excite much until it was bought by Patrick Maroteaux in 1988. Since then Branaire-Ducru has become a reliably good buy for lovers of St Julien. The vineyards are planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. While the number of family-owned châteaux is becoming increasingly smaller in the Médoc, the Maroteaux family has owned Branaire-Ducru since 1988. They immediatley put in a stat of the art gravity fed cellar - designed in a revolutionary way along the lines of a spoked -wheel - with all the tanks fanning out from a central control space up above. In 2017 it still looks cutting edge - and it is easy to understand how the wines are made so well here. Very sadly on November 19, 2017, Patrick Maroteaux passed away at the age of 67. His son, François Xavier Maroteaux took over the full time responsibilities of managing the estate and is committed to keeping up the great work being done here. Every year they strive to retain their ‘home signature’ of 'pure fruit, freshness and balance' and although you can always sense the vintage variations - this ambition is always clear. The Grand Vin has a focus and an elegance that is intrinsically 'Branaire' - and the pricing remains well measured. Branaire-Ducru is very often one of our recommended wines as it can offer super value for money in St Julien.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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