2006 Château Branaire-Ducru, St Julien, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
Tasted blind. Good lift. It's very fluid and juicy. More charm than most 2006 St-Juliens. Racy and stony. Good finish and persistence.
Drink 2015 - 2030
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (May 2016)
Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. A superlative performance from Branaire Ducru, way above my previous appraisals for Mon. Maroutoux’s Saint Julien estate. It remains austere on the nose: blackberry, damson, even a touch of marmalade developing with aeration. Moderate definition. The palate is medium-bodied, with very powerful and intense ripe tannins, toasty black fruit laced with tar and graphite with a tannic, bold finish that demands more cellaring. Excellent.
Neil Martin, Wine Advocate (September 2010)
Proprietor Patrick Maroteaux continues to ratchet up the quality level at this impeccably run St.-Julien estate. The 2006 is similar to the 1996 Branaire, but with sweeter fruit. A deep ruby/purple hue precedes a perfumed nose of sweet boysenberries, black cherries, minerals, spring flowers, and a hint of pain grille in the background. Fresh, savoury, medium to full-bodied flavours coat the palate with beautiful purity, no hard edges, ripe tannin, and intense fruit.
This elegant, layered, impressive offering will be at its peak between 2012 - 2025.
Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (April 2007)
Full ruby-red. Sexy aromas of currant, chocolate, mocha and coffee. Dense, firm, and sweet, with chateau-typical flavours of currant, minerals, and chocolate and very good breadth. Finishes pure and fruity, with spreading tannins and lingering notes of black cherry and minerals. This makes the young 2007 seem a bit dry by comparison.
"We're happy with the definition of the 2007, its purity of fruit, elegance and freshness," said president Patrick Maroteau, who will be stepping down this summer following an extended term as president of the Union des Grands Crus. Manager Jean-Dominique Videau noted that Branaire is made in 90% Taransaud barrels, with the other 10% used "to experiment" with other suppliers.
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous.com (May 2008)
About this WINE
Château Branaire-Ducru
Classified as a fourth growth in 1855, Ch. Branaire-Ducru makes pure and classic St Julien. The estate has recently passed from father to son: the widely respected Patrick Maroteaux – who had served at various times as president of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux and the St Julien appellation – sadly passed away in 2017. His son François-Xavier has picked up the baton and continues his father’s legacy. The Maroteaux family bought the property in 1988 and have invested considerably in the vineyard and winery since. Superstar consultant Eric Boissenot advises here, as he does with many of the Left Bank’s top estates, including the Médoc’s four first growths.
St Julien
St Julien is the smallest of the "Big Four" Médoc communes. Although, without any First Growths, St Julien is recognised to be the most consistent of the main communes, with several châteaux turning out impressive wines year after year.
St Julien itself is much more of a village than Pauillac and almost all of the notable properties lie to its south. Its most northerly château is Ch. Léoville Las Cases (whose vineyards actually adjoin those of Latour in Pauillac) but, further south, suitable vineyard land gives way to arable farming and livestock until the Margaux appellation is reached.
The soil is gravelly and finer than that of Pauillac, and without the iron content which gives Pauillac its stature. The homogeneous soils in the vineyards (which extend over a relatively small area of just over 700 hectares) give the commune a unified character.
The wines can be assessed as much by texture as flavour, and there is a sleek, wholesome character to the best. Elegance, harmony and perfect balance and weight, with hints of cassis and cedar, are what epitomise classic St Julien wines. At their very best they combine Margaux’s elegance and refinement with Pauillac’s power and substance.
Ch. Léoville Las Cases produces arguably the most sought-after St Julien, and in any reassessment of the 1855 Classification it would almost certainly warrant being elevated to First Growth status.
Recommended Châteaux: Ch. Léoville Las Cases, Ch.Léoville Barton, Ch Léoville Poyferré, Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou, Ch Langoa Barton, Ch Gruaud Larose, Ch. Branaire-Ducru, Ch. Beychevelle
Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia.
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Description
Branaire-Ducru continues to enhance its reputation as one of the hottest estates in Bordeaux. Its 2006 is wonderfully sophisticated and stylish, with great precision and elegance. It is sexy, too, in its own smouldering, restrained way. A rich, spicy fruitcake nose is followed by fresh, floral, creamy red and black fruit with a dash of pepper.
The tannins come thundering at the finish, accompanied by another wave of concentrated morello cherry fruit. This is as good as the Pichons in the hierarchy of things, not as good as Léoville-Poyferré, but probably better than Léoville-Barton.
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