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2010 Château Branaire-Ducru St. Julien Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

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2010
Château Branaire-Ducru  (St. Julien)
95
Medium/full-bodied, elegant, vibrant, silky, and fresh, the estate's refined character shines through here. The flowers, cherries, mocha, leafy tobacco, and spice on the nose prepare you for all the sweet, juicy currants and plums on the palate, leaving you with a long, fruit-packed finish showcasing the wine's purity and energy. Close, but not quite ready, drink from 2025-2045.

Medium/full-bodied, elegant, vibrant, silky, and fresh, the estate's refined character shines through here. The flowers, cherries, mocha, leafy tobacco, and spice on the nose prepare you for all the sweet, juicy currants and plums on the palate, leaving you with a long, fruit-packed finish showcasing the wine's purity and energy. Close, but not quite ready, drink from 2025-2045.

5,430 Views   Tasted
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Young, fresh, vibrant and a bit tight, as you would expect, yet, it is hard not to notice the soft, ripe, smooth tannins, sweet, fresh, dark red fruits, concentration of flavor and the sense of purity in the finish. Give this another 5 years and it should be showing a lot of what it has to offer.

Young, fresh, vibrant and a bit tight, as you would expect, yet, it is hard not to notice the soft, ripe, smooth tannins, sweet, fresh, dark red fruits, concentration of flavor and the sense of purity in the finish. Give this another 5 years and it should be showing a lot of what it has to offer.

7,833 Views   Tasted
Licorice, oak, truffle, black cherry and plum, soft tannins, round fruit and freshness in the finish. This is a contender for the best wine made at Branaire Ducru since Patrick Maroteaux bought the property in 1989.

Licorice, oak, truffle, black cherry and plum, soft tannins, round fruit and freshness in the finish. This is a contender for the best wine made at Branaire Ducru since Patrick Maroteaux bought the property in 1989.

8,402 Views   Tasted
It's fun drinking these young wines. It's not close to mature, but it's not shut down either. The showy, tobacco, cigar box, blackberry and mocha aromas, coupled with soft, refined dark berries on the palate let you know this is going to be a treat in a decade or so when it matures.

It's fun drinking these young wines. It's not close to mature, but it's not shut down either. The showy, tobacco, cigar box, blackberry and mocha aromas, coupled with soft, refined dark berries on the palate let you know this is going to be a treat in a decade or so when it matures.

8,146 Views   Tasted
Deep ruby in color, the wine is filled with earth, tobacco, blackberry, mocha and anise. The wine is fresh, soft, polished and sweet, delivering, pure blackberry, black cherry with just a hint of truffle in the finish. With the ripe fruits and soft, tannins, the wine can be enjoyed young, yet it can age for two decades or more. According to the owner, Patrick Maroteaux, this is the best he's produced yet.

Deep ruby in color, the wine is filled with earth, tobacco, blackberry, mocha and anise. The wine is fresh, soft, polished and sweet, delivering, pure blackberry, black cherry with just a hint of truffle in the finish. With the ripe fruits and soft, tannins, the wine can be enjoyed young, yet it can age for two decades or more. According to the owner, Patrick Maroteaux, this is the best he's produced yet.

12,397 Views   Tasted
Starting to shut down and tighten up, with coaxing, the wine offers fresh blackberries, earth, mocha and stone aromas. The tannins and polished, ripe and round. Medium/full bodied, Branaire Ducru is never about power, it's about finesse and elegance. This could be the best vintage for Branaire Ducru yet. At least that is what the owner Patrick Maroteaux suggests. It will be fun tasting this against the 2009 in the years to come.

Starting to shut down and tighten up, with coaxing, the wine offers fresh blackberries, earth, mocha and stone aromas. The tannins and polished, ripe and round. Medium/full bodied, Branaire Ducru is never about power, it's about finesse and elegance. This could be the best vintage for Branaire Ducru yet. At least that is what the owner Patrick Maroteaux suggests. It will be fun tasting this against the 2009 in the years to come.

9,093 Views   Tasted
Floral, coffee, tobacco, mocha and blackberry notes lead to a powerful vintage for Branaire, with a beautiful sense of purity to the fruit, freshness and the structure to age and develop well. Patrick Maroteaux feels this blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2.5% Cabernet Franc is the best vintage yet for his chateaux, he could be right.

Floral, coffee, tobacco, mocha and blackberry notes lead to a powerful vintage for Branaire, with a beautiful sense of purity to the fruit, freshness and the structure to age and develop well. Patrick Maroteaux feels this blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2.5% Cabernet Franc is the best vintage yet for his chateaux, he could be right.

7,510 Views   Tasted
Flowers, bitter chocolate, smoke, blackberry and wet earth aromas open to a concentrated, tannic, fresh, sweet, ripe, concentrated, fresh, mocha and black cherry, supple textured finish.

Flowers, bitter chocolate, smoke, blackberry and wet earth aromas open to a concentrated, tannic, fresh, sweet, ripe, concentrated, fresh, mocha and black cherry, supple textured finish.

7,840 Views   Tasted
Sporting a deep ruby color, the smoke, boysenberry, blackberry, truffle, mocha scents form an enticing perfume. Polished, elegant, fresh and filled with deep, ripe, pure fruits. The wine is expansive and mouth filling, finishing with a long, boysenberry, cocoa and black cherry finish. This wine has improved since last tasted in April. This is the best vintage of Chateau Branaire Ducru that Patrick Maroteaux has made at the property. 94-95 Pts

Sporting a deep ruby color, the smoke, boysenberry, blackberry, truffle, mocha scents form an enticing perfume. Polished, elegant, fresh and filled with deep, ripe, pure fruits. The wine is expansive and mouth filling, finishing with a long, boysenberry, cocoa and black cherry finish. This wine has improved since last tasted in April. This is the best vintage of Chateau Branaire Ducru that Patrick Maroteaux has made at the property. 94-95 Pts

8,326 Views   Tasted
Branaire Ducru From an assemblage of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2.5% Cabernet Franc, (Similar to the 2009) the wine sports a deep ruby tint. Jammy black raspberry, spice and hints of toasty oak start off the perfume. In the mouth, fresh cassis, mocha, olives and spice combine with strong, ripe tannins, ending in a blackberry filled finish. The wine reached 13.8% ABV, which is higher than they recorded in 2009. Due to the high level of acidity, there is no sensation of heat. According to the owner, Patrick Maroteaux, one of the keys to the success in 2010 is due to their new method of handling the press wine. This includes ageing the press wine in one year old barrels and utilizing more selection in the press wine. 40% of the press wine was allocated to the Grand Vin. The remainder was included in the second wine. 93-94 Pts

Branaire Ducru From an assemblage of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2.5% Cabernet Franc, (Similar to the 2009) the wine sports a deep ruby tint. Jammy black raspberry, spice and hints of toasty oak start off the perfume. In the mouth, fresh cassis, mocha, olives and spice combine with strong, ripe tannins, ending in a blackberry filled finish. The wine reached 13.8% ABV, which is higher than they recorded in 2009. Due to the high level of acidity, there is no sensation of heat. According to the owner, Patrick Maroteaux, one of the keys to the success in 2010 is due to their new method of handling the press wine. This includes ageing the press wine in one year old barrels and utilizing more selection in the press wine. 40% of the press wine was allocated to the Grand Vin. The remainder was included in the second wine. 93-94 Pts

8,295 Views   Tasted

When to Drink Chateau Branaire Ducru, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Branaire Ducru can be enjoyed on the young side with decanting, due to its elegant, fresh character. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 2-3 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau Branaire Ducru is usually better with at least 8-10 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Pibran offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 12-25 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Branaire Ducru with the Best Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau Branaire Ducru is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Branaire Ducru is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed, and grilled dishes. Branaire Ducru is also good when served with Asian dishes, hearty seafood, or fish like tuna, mushrooms, pasta, and cheese.

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