2019 Château Branaire-Ducru

Description

96   Georgie Hindle for Decanter
“Tempting nose, full of aromatic black fruits, perfume, liquorice and salty stones. Juicy, ripe, and controlled, I love the upfront nature of this, bright, lively energy, you can feel the concentration in the chalky, dry just-spiced edges on the tongue, giving a piquance, but the acidity, soft sweetness and roundness is there. Such a beautiful expression, refined and finessed, charming and precise. The detail and nuance is there covered slightly by the ripe cherry and strawberry fruit but there is such joy to this. Charming and classic in the best way.” (1/2023)

95   James Suckling
“Very clear fruit character of blackcurrants, orange peel and spices. Some walnut, too. It’s full-bodied with integrated, polished tannins and shows finesse and focus. Love the focused fruit at the end of this. Strength with finesse. Give it four to five years of bottle age. Try after 2024.” (2/2022)

95   William Kelley for Wine Advocate
“The 2019 Branaire-Ducru unwinds in the glass with aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, sweet soil tones and hints of cigar wrapper, rose petals and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s youthfully tightly wound, with terrific concentration, tangy acids, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish. While this is a little reserved out of the gates, its energy and classical proportions will richly reward bottle age.” (4/2022)

95   Antonio Galloni for Vinous
“The 2019 Branaire-Ducru is rich, layered and sumptuous. Black cherry, licorice, spice, leather tobacco and tar build effortlessly in the glass. The 2019 impresses with its density and pure power, which makes it perhaps atypical for Branaire by its historic standards, but it may be the direction the château seems to be headed in. The aromatics are a bit closed right now, but time in bottle should help take care of that.” (02/2022)