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Goedhuis, April 2019, Score: 94-96
This superb wine has the potential to be Branaire’s finest wine to date in the 21st century. It really has everything. A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep dense opaque colour, full of dark black fruits, with hints of mocha and spice. A wonderfully energetic style, bright and lively, and deliciously sweet. The layer of ripe structured tannins provides additional texture to what is a wonderfully complete wine. Delicious.
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Neal Martin, March 2021, Score: 93
The 2018 Branaire-Ducru was picked from September 19 until October 10 at 53hl/ha and is currently being aged in 60% new oak. It has retained the sophisticated bouquet that I found last year, featuring beautifully defined blackberry and cedar and hints of iris flower and rose petals. The palate is well defined with good density and backbone, something that you could argue was missing from Branaire-Ducru in the 1990s and early 2000s. It gently fans out on the finish but never wants to create too much of a commotion – that’s not its style. This indicates a property that is finding a new lease on life. Excellent. Drink 2023-2045
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Antonio Galloni, May 2019, Score: 93-96
The 2018 Branaire-Ducru is fabulous. Bright, lifted and impeccably precise, the 2018 is one of the best recent Branaires I can remember tasting. The 2018 is distinguished by its vertical lift, striking aromatic intensity and exceptional balance. Lavender, rose petal, gravel, mint and sweet red/purplish berry fruit are all given an extra kick of textural richness. More than anything else, I was blown away by the wine's density and precision. The 2018 is dazzling. There's not much else to say. Well, except the obvious question, which is why is Branaire not at this level every year? The 2018 is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Tasted three times.
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Wine Advocate, April 2019, Score: 92-94
The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Branaire-Ducru begins just a tad reduced with broody tar, rubber and fried herbs scents giving way to a fragrant core of warm cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry coulis with touches of smoked meats and tobacco. Full-bodied, firm and rugged in the mouth with brawny, muscular fruit and a sturdy frame of grainy tannins, it finishes long and savory.
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James Suckling, April 2019, Score: 95-96
This is a fantastic Brainaire with deep and dark fruit, such as blackberries and blackcurrants. Lots of raspberries, too. Full-bodied with firm and creamy tannins and a super long finish. We will see if it’s better than 2016, but on its way.
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Decanter, April 2019, Score: 93
Branaire-Ducru has managed to produce an exceptionally balanced and refined St-Julien in a year when that was not the easiest task. Depth and complexity is clear, although it's just a little held back right now. The architecture is such that there are walls to scale and depths to plumb, but with less generosity overall. 53hl/ha yield. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040
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Matthew Jukes, April 2019, Score: 18+
This is a delicious and silky-smooth Branaire with fondanty fruit notes and a deep, dark core. At no stage does the oak or alcohol interrupt the flow of fruit and the overall impression is of a wine with serious class and definition. Great balance and nice weight make this a very rewarding drop if not quite one of the stellar Châteaux in this vintage. I think it will last for a long time, too, given the quality of tannins on display.
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Jancis Robinson, November 2021, Score: 16.5
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc.
Dark dense purple. Attractive blackberry compote on the nose. Sweet fruit and not all that much tannin. Maybe this could do with just a little more fruit concentration on the mid palate? The finish is a tad scrawny at the moment.
Drink 2024 – 2038
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Wine Spectator, April 2019, Score: 94-97
This is well-packed, with blueberry, açaí and blackberry fruit flavors and licorice snap and fruitcake notes. Long and refined despite the copious fruit, showing polish and poise through the finish.
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Julia Harding, April 2019, Score: 16.5
Black-cherry rim with opaque core. Scented with cassis and ripe damson fruit, quite open on the nose. Lively on the palate too, really fruity, balanced by fine layers of dry but not drying tannins. Oaky, chewy, rich, but smooth on the finish with aromatic fruit through to the finish. Drink 2025-2035
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LPB, March 2021, Score: 93
The 2018 Branaire-Ducru has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and an upfront, expressive nose of baked black plums, boysenberries and Morello cherries with an undercurrent of dried mint, spice box and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate packs a very pleasant fruit wallop, featuring juicy black fruits and a firm, grainy frame, finishing long with lovely purity. 93 points. Drink 2023 - 2043. Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Advocate