2016 Château Branaire-Ducru St. Julien Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

39865 Views

2016
95
Refined, elegant, fresh, vibrant, and while approachable, its best days are ahead, which is when all of those sweet, ripe, perfectly balanced, layers of currants, spice, mocha, cigar wrapper, and forest leaf will be at their best. Drink from 2024-2050.

Refined, elegant, fresh, vibrant, and while approachable, its best days are ahead, which is when all of those sweet, ripe, perfectly balanced, layers of currants, spice, mocha, cigar wrapper, and forest leaf will be at their best. Drink from 2024-2050.

7,558 Views   Tasted
The wine is all about its balance between the purity in the red fruits, depth of flavor, sweetness and length on the palate. The salty chalky finish, with all of its ripe, delicious red fruits shows well. Elegant, lively, silky and stylish, with nothing out of place, give this beauty 10-12 years of age and enjoy it over the next 2 decades after that.

The wine is all about its balance between the purity in the red fruits, depth of flavor, sweetness and length on the palate. The salty chalky finish, with all of its ripe, delicious red fruits shows well. Elegant, lively, silky and stylish, with nothing out of place, give this beauty 10-12 years of age and enjoy it over the next 2 decades after that.

7,794 Views   Tasted
It is hard to say what worked better here, the soft, silky tannins, the freshness in the fruit, the purity in the berries or the elegant stylings. The cassis and boysenberry fruits make an impression on the nose and the palate. This should age for decades.

It is hard to say what worked better here, the soft, silky tannins, the freshness in the fruit, the purity in the berries or the elegant stylings. The cassis and boysenberry fruits make an impression on the nose and the palate. This should age for decades.

7,413 Views   Tasted
Elegant, polished, bright, fresh and clean, with a purity of fruit that stands out. Everything here is in balance from the silky tannins to the sweetness in the bright, red fruits. The wine lingers and expands.

Elegant, polished, bright, fresh and clean, with a purity of fruit that stands out. Everything here is in balance from the silky tannins to the sweetness in the bright, red fruits. The wine lingers and expands.

8,835 Views   Tasted
Spicy boysenberry and sweet cassis with licorice and a kiss of oak on the nose, this wine displays elegance and a natural goodness of fruit. Oddly it gives the impression of fading in the mouth but it’s all an illusion as the essence rushes back in and lingers. Produced from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.49% ABV with a pH of 3.59. Harvesting took place from September 28 to October 19, which is the latest as well as the longest harvest in the history of Branaire Ducru.

Spicy boysenberry and sweet cassis with licorice and a kiss of oak on the nose, this wine displays elegance and a natural goodness of fruit. Oddly it gives the impression of fading in the mouth but it’s all an illusion as the essence rushes back in and lingers. Produced from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.49% ABV with a pH of 3.59. Harvesting took place from September 28 to October 19, which is the latest as well as the longest harvest in the history of Branaire Ducru.

8,265 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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