Château Branaire-Ducru 2021

A fine red wine from Saint-Julien with a seductive freshness and aromatic expression

The estate

A Grand Cru Classé of 1855, Château Branaire-Ducru is one of the greatest names of the Saint-Julien appellation. Owned by François Xavier Maroteaux, the son of the late Patrick Maroteaux, and managed by Jean-Dominique Videau, Château Branaire-Ducru offers, vintage after vintage, a superb expression of this great terroir on the left bank of Bordeaux, through wines recognised for their elegance, their velvety texture on the palate and their remarkable consistency.

The vineyard

Château Branaire-Ducru 2021 is a Saint-Julien wine that stems from a 60-hectare vineyard. The vines are 35 years old on average (some of which are a hundred years old) and are planted in soils of gravel-siliceous alluvium from the Quaternary era. This is one of the warmest terroirs in the region, allowing late-ripening grape varieties to develop fully, while also ensuring perfect phenolic maturation.

The vintage

2021 began with an early and regular budding of the vines resulting from a mild and rainy winter and mild temperatures at the end of March. Although the spring frosts only had a very localized impact on the estate's vineyards, the cool temperatures combined with heavy rainfall delayed the flowering period and increased the pressure of mildew. From August 10th onwards, the dry summer conditions without any heatwaves favoured a slow ripening of the grapes, limiting their concentration while maintaining a good level of acidity. The rainy spells recorded in the last half of September boosted the ripening and development of the vineyard. The harvest was carried out in a plot-by-plot manner at optimum maturity. The grapes are healthy, revealing a good concentration and very fine tannins.

The blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (66%)

Merlot (22%)

Cabernet Franc (6.5%)

Petit Verdot (5.5%).

Château Branaire-Ducru 2021: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Nose

The alluring nose exudes a pure expression of fruit along with fresh and balanced aromas.

Palate

The palate reveals a harmonious structure sustained by a beautiful acidity.