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Château Branon

12 notes Sort by: Vintage - Name - Rating

2014
91
A new, fresh style of wine for Branon, now produced by the brother of owner Helene Garcin. Truffle, tobacco and blackberry notes lead to a more finesse driven approach with a tangy, dark chocolate and blackberry finish. Gone is the opulent style to which we have become accustomed, at least in this vintage. This will undoubtedly please some people but it may alienate fans of the estate’s older, more lavish vintages. 90-92 Pts

A new, fresh style of wine for Branon, now produced by the brother of owner Helene Garcin. Truffle, tobacco and blackberry notes lead to a more finesse driven approach with a tangy, dark chocolate and blackberry finish. Gone is the opulent style to which we have become accustomed, at least in this vintage. This will undoubtedly please some people but it may alienate fans of the estate’s older, more lavish vintages. 90-92 Pts

2,266 Views   Tasted
2013
90
Coconut, espresso bean, smoke, boysenberry and jam are coupled with flashy, fleshy textures and an open, plush personality. From a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.7. 89-91 Pts

Coconut, espresso bean, smoke, boysenberry and jam are coupled with flashy, fleshy textures and an open, plush personality. From a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.7. 89-91 Pts

1,638 Views   Tasted
2012
92
Silky, lush and polished, this soft, round, forward wine finishes with sweet, ripe plums and silky tannins.

Silky, lush and polished, this soft, round, forward wine finishes with sweet, ripe plums and silky tannins.

2,975 Views   Tasted
With smoke, spice, incense, earth and ripe dark berries, the wine is soft, polished, oaky and silky. Filled with dark chocolate-covered berries, it ends in an oak-filled, spicy finish. 90-92 Pts

With smoke, spice, incense, earth and ripe dark berries, the wine is soft, polished, oaky and silky. Filled with dark chocolate-covered berries, it ends in an oak-filled, spicy finish. 90-92 Pts

2,949 Views   Tasted
2011
92
Lush, dense, ripe fruits, espresso bean, smoke and black cherry jam aromas lead to a smooth, soft, plush, early drinking wine of pleasure.

Lush, dense, ripe fruits, espresso bean, smoke and black cherry jam aromas lead to a smooth, soft, plush, early drinking wine of pleasure.

2,473 Views   Tasted
2010
95
Silky, soft, sexy and packed with vanilla, oak, smoke, blackberries, licorice and chocolate, the wine is lush, sweet and complex. If the wine integrates into the wine, and I think it will, this will become a more compelling wine than it already is. Clearly, this is a modern Pessac Leognan, but I love it!

Silky, soft, sexy and packed with vanilla, oak, smoke, blackberries, licorice and chocolate, the wine is lush, sweet and complex. If the wine integrates into the wine, and I think it will, this will become a more compelling wine than it already is. Clearly, this is a modern Pessac Leognan, but I love it!

9,101 Views   Tasted
Branon Using a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, this 500 case wine reached 14% ABV. Scents of coffee bean, truffle, tobacco and jammy blackberry meld with a big, sweet, ripe, long, smoky, jammy berry, mocha infused, sultry textured finish. 93-96 Pts

Branon Using a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, this 500 case wine reached 14% ABV. Scents of coffee bean, truffle, tobacco and jammy blackberry meld with a big, sweet, ripe, long, smoky, jammy berry, mocha infused, sultry textured finish. 93-96 Pts

8,782 Views   Tasted
2009
96
2009 Branon is deep ruby with purple accents. The wine shows truffle, tobacco, cassis, caramel, and coffee notes in the nose. The palate enjoys the feeling of rich, opulent, fleshy blackberries being draped across it. The wine has a concentrated, sweet berry finish. On average, only 500 cases a year are produced of this wine. 94-96 Pts

2009 Branon is deep ruby with purple accents. The wine shows truffle, tobacco, cassis, caramel, and coffee notes in the nose. The palate enjoys the feeling of rich, opulent, fleshy blackberries being draped across it. The wine has a concentrated, sweet berry finish. On average, only 500 cases a year are produced of this wine. 94-96 Pts

9,779 Views   Tasted
2008
92
The wine offers a smoke,espresso, blackberry, licorice, tobacco, cocoa and black raspberry filled perfume. From a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the wine is soft, round and supple textured, but it lacks the density found in the better vintages of this small production, Pessac Leognan wine.

The wine offers a smoke,espresso, blackberry, licorice, tobacco, cocoa and black raspberry filled perfume. From a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the wine is soft, round and supple textured, but it lacks the density found in the better vintages of this small production, Pessac Leognan wine.

4,233 Views   Tasted
2006
91
Full bodied, lush, rich and concentrated, with an oaky, licorice, black cherry, cocoa and plummy character. If the oak better integrates, this will be a much better wine.

Full bodied, lush, rich and concentrated, with an oaky, licorice, black cherry, cocoa and plummy character. If the oak better integrates, this will be a much better wine.

2,746 Views   Tasted
2005
93
Round, lush, fleshy, full and loaded with smoky, dark red fruits, coffee and smoke. The deep colored wine remains youthful. But the fruit is so ripe and the tannins are so soft, you can enjoy this now, or wait another 3-5 years.

Round, lush, fleshy, full and loaded with smoky, dark red fruits, coffee and smoke. The deep colored wine remains youthful. But the fruit is so ripe and the tannins are so soft, you can enjoy this now, or wait another 3-5 years.

4,103 Views   Tasted
Fat, rich, dense and lush, with a lot of concentration, smoke, ripe, dark fruits, espresso and earth. The wine coats your palate with fruit. Low in acid, it's almost too much of a good thing. This is quite young and will only get better with more time in the cellar.

Fat, rich, dense and lush, with a lot of concentration, smoke, ripe, dark fruits, espresso and earth. The wine coats your palate with fruit. Low in acid, it's almost too much of a good thing. This is quite young and will only get better with more time in the cellar.

4,696 Views   Tasted
With its deep ruby color, this scarce wine offers a nose of black raspberry, coffee, earth, smoker and fresh herbs. This supple wine is concentrated with juicy, ripe fruit and spice. Produced in a sexy, ripe style, the wine finishes with chocolate covered berries. This is a polished and opulent Bordeaux. Only 500 cases are produced.

With its deep ruby color, this scarce wine offers a nose of black raspberry, coffee, earth, smoker and fresh herbs. This supple wine is concentrated with juicy, ripe fruit and spice. Produced in a sexy, ripe style, the wine finishes with chocolate covered berries. This is a polished and opulent Bordeaux. Only 500 cases are produced.

5,854 Views   Tasted
2004
90
Espresso bean, smoke, earth, licorice and ripe blackberry scents open to a forward, round, lush, modern style of wine that was made from a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Espresso bean, smoke, earth, licorice and ripe blackberry scents open to a forward, round, lush, modern style of wine that was made from a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

1,990 Views   Tasted
2001
90
Probably fully mature, the wine is soft, round and lush on the entry. You still find some oaky notes interspersed with the ripe, dark red fruits, smoke, cocoa and thyme on the nose and palate.

Probably fully mature, the wine is soft, round and lush on the entry. You still find some oaky notes interspersed with the ripe, dark red fruits, smoke, cocoa and thyme on the nose and palate.

1,896 Views   Tasted
2000
94
It's interesting tasting this wine since it was released. It's clearly a wine of pleasure with its rich, lush, fat, plush textures and concentrated dark fruits. On the nose, licorice, smoke, tobacco and dark berries are also in full force. At 14 years of age, perhaps this is not going to develop a lot more complexity with additional age. However, there is no hurry to drink it as I doubt its sensual qualities are going to fade for years.

It's interesting tasting this wine since it was released. It's clearly a wine of pleasure with its rich, lush, fat, plush textures and concentrated dark fruits. On the nose, licorice, smoke, tobacco and dark berries are also in full force. At 14 years of age, perhaps this is not going to develop a lot more complexity with additional age. However, there is no hurry to drink it as I doubt its sensual qualities are going to fade for years.

6,132 Views   Tasted
Still dark in color, with a young nose, the wine remains primary. Rich, supple, ripe and long, there is a lot going on with this modern style of Pessac Leognan. I'd give it another 3-5 years.

Still dark in color, with a young nose, the wine remains primary. Rich, supple, ripe and long, there is a lot going on with this modern style of Pessac Leognan. I'd give it another 3-5 years.

4,698 Views   Tasted
Licorice, caramel, smoke, chocolate covered boysenberries and truffle scents open to a fat, dense, low acid, fleshy, opulent wine that delivers a lot of pleasure. While this is wonderful to drink today, another 3-5 years should bring out more secondary characteristics. The wine is modern in style and sexy in an obvious way. But that's a good thing. There are times when you just want to get right down to it.

Licorice, caramel, smoke, chocolate covered boysenberries and truffle scents open to a fat, dense, low acid, fleshy, opulent wine that delivers a lot of pleasure. While this is wonderful to drink today, another 3-5 years should bring out more secondary characteristics. The wine is modern in style and sexy in an obvious way. But that's a good thing. There are times when you just want to get right down to it.

4,502 Views   Tasted
Tobacco, cigar box, cassis, chocolate, boysenberry, earth and truffle scents are found as soon as the wine slips in your glass. Your palate enjoys layers of sweet, juicy, cassis, mocha and fresh black, with a hint of oak and flashy textures. This is drinking great today and should continue to get better for at least the next decade.

Tobacco, cigar box, cassis, chocolate, boysenberry, earth and truffle scents are found as soon as the wine slips in your glass. Your palate enjoys layers of sweet, juicy, cassis, mocha and fresh black, with a hint of oak and flashy textures. This is drinking great today and should continue to get better for at least the next decade.

3,393 Views   Tasted
With its jammy black fruit, oak and licorice filled nose is plush, rich, polished and intense. This is a very suave, stylish style of wine.

With its jammy black fruit, oak and licorice filled nose is plush, rich, polished and intense. This is a very suave, stylish style of wine.

3,267 Views   Tasted
Smoke, cassis, coffee, chocolate and a hint of oak make the aromatics. Very concentrated, rich and complex. Full bodied with an opulent texture and a sexy style. Very little of this wine is made. If you see it, grab a bottle. 05 is also a great wine and the 08 looks tasty as well.

Smoke, cassis, coffee, chocolate and a hint of oak make the aromatics. Very concentrated, rich and complex. Full bodied with an opulent texture and a sexy style. Very little of this wine is made. If you see it, grab a bottle. 05 is also a great wine and the 08 looks tasty as well.

3,237 Views   Tasted