×

Chateau Branaire Ducru Saint Julien 2020 1.5Ltr

size
1.5Ltr
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Saint Julien
DC
95
VM
95
WE
95
JS
95
WA
94
WS
94
JD
93
DC
95
Rated 95 by Decanter
An intensely perfumed nose with soft cocoa powder aromas. The texture is alluring, juicy and ripe but lifted, quite dense but also linear, a push-pull of direct fruit and chalky, plump tannins. Rich but not as supple as 2018, a bit more angular. Black cherries, plums and currants on the palate with both a nice sweetness and salinity. Not so easy to taste and understand today, it's thought provoking with lots going on. Great potential for a long life and one to watch!! Bottled at the beginning of July 2022. ... More details
Image of bottle
Sample image only. Please see Item description for product Information. When ordering the item shipped will match the product listing if there are any discrepancies. Do not order solely on the label if you feel it does not match product description

Chateau Branaire Ducru Saint Julien 2020 1.5Ltr

SKU 923471
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$335.85
/case
$111.95
/1.5Ltr bottle
Quantity
min order 3 bottles
* This is a Long-term Pre-arrival item and is available for online ordering only. This item will ship on a future date after a 4-8 months transfer time. For additional details about Pre-arrival Items please visit our FAQ page.
Professional Ratings
DC
95
VM
95
WE
95
JS
95
WA
94
WS
94
JD
93
DC
95
Rated 95 by Decanter
An intensely perfumed nose with soft cocoa powder aromas. The texture is alluring, juicy and ripe but lifted, quite dense but also linear, a push-pull of direct fruit and chalky, plump tannins. Rich but not as supple as 2018, a bit more angular. Black cherries, plums and currants on the palate with both a nice sweetness and salinity. Not so easy to taste and understand today, it's thought provoking with lots going on. Great potential for a long life and one to watch!! Bottled at the beginning of July 2022.
VM
95
Rated 95 by Vinous Media
The 2020 Branaire-Ducru was so alluring en primeur, but is very shy today. That said, some of that youthful exuberance has given way to the characteristic Brainaire finesse. Dark red cherry, spice, grilled herbs, menthol and licorice emerge, but only with great reluctance. Sweet floral and spice notes lift the finish nicely. The 2020 is going to need the better part of a decade to come around.
WE
95
Rated 95 by Wine Enthusiast
Barrel Sample. Rich, juicy and with dense tannins, this wine is full of generous blackberry fruit flavor. The tannins and impressive structure are what show promise for the future. Expect this wine to age well.
JS
95
Rated 95 by James Suckling
Plenty of blackberry, blueberry, lead pencil and violet aromas here that follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. So integrated and polished. Thoughtful young red. Try after 2027.
WA
94
Rated 94 by Wine Advocate
The 2020 Branaire-Ducru will require more patience than the supple, sensual 2019, but it is another strong effort for this overperforming estate. Wafting from the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, plums, pencil shavings, petals, burning embers and discreet hints of new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a concentrated core of vibrant fruit and fine but youthfully firm tannins that assert themselves on the gently chewy finish.
WS
94
Rated 94 by Wine Spectator
This has a lovely floral lead followed quickly by a very pure and precise beam of cassis and bitter plum fruit. Shows ample structure but this is fine-grained and almost silky in feel, while subtle dark tea, savory and iron notes peek through on the lengthy finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038. 12,000 cases made, 1,800 cases imported.
JD
93
Rated 93 by Jeb Dunnuck
Showing beautifully, the deeper purple/ruby-hued 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru offers a deep, masculine bouquet of blackcurrants, plums, smoked tobacco, and iron. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, nicely balanced Saint-Julien with plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, integrated tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.
Product Details
size
1.5Ltr
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Saint Julien
Overview
An intensely perfumed nose with soft cocoa powder aromas. The texture is alluring, juicy and ripe but lifted, quite dense but also linear, a push-pull of direct fruit and chalky, plump tannins. Rich but not as supple as 2018, a bit more angular. Black cherries, plums and currants on the palate with both a nice sweetness and salinity. Not so easy to taste and understand today, it's thought provoking with lots going on. Great potential for a long life and one to watch!! Bottled at the beginning of July 2022.
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

Bordeaux red wines are widely regarded as being the finest red wines produced anywhere in the world, regularly topping awards lists and generally being amongst the most sought after and collectable bottles available. The secret to their success and their particularly memorable and refined characteristics is the fact that Bordeaux red wines are made from a blend of grape varietals, most commonly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, helped by a touch of Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc. The other two key Bordeaux grape varietals which are also used in the blend of many of these excellent wines are Malbec and Carménere, although it is becoming less common to see these in use today. The art of blending primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape varietals is something which has been much imitated around the world, as it produces a wonderfully balanced, rounded yet massively complex and flavorful wine, ideal for oak aging The acid and tannin levels in each of these grape varietals is balanced and tempered by the blend, and generations of expertise has gone into the careful selection and cultivation of such quality grapes.
barrel

Region: Bordeaux

There are few wine regions in the world with a reputation as glowing and well established as that of the Bordeaux, in France. Situated mainly around the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, Bordeaux makes the most of its humid climate and rich, clay and gravel based soils to grow some of the finest examples of red and white grape varietals on earth. Wineries in this region have been in operation for hundreds of years, and have carefully developed the expertise required for the production of carefully balanced and utterly delicious blended red and white wines, alongside some exceptional single variety bottles. Many of the chateaux found in Bordeaux have become household names, due to their prestige and the excellence of their products, grown with love and dedication by heritage wineries in this beautiful and special region.
fields

Country: France

French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews

There have been no reviews for this product.

More wines available from Chateau Branaire Ducru
750ml
Bottle: $55.20
Ripe, fresh and decidedly forward in style, with a modestly tarry edge supporting the juicy blackberry, loganberry...
WS
90
750ml
Bottle: $41.37
Lots of chocolate and juicy fruit to this with currant and walnut undertones. Medium body, soft and silky tannins and...
JS
92
WS
90
750ml
Bottle: $33.90
Undoubtedly the best of the three Dulucs, it takes a bit of the best of each of the other two. Fascinating that the...
DC
91
JS
91
Long-term Pre-Arrival
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $64.63
More Details
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

Bordeaux red wines are widely regarded as being the finest red wines produced anywhere in the world, regularly topping awards lists and generally being amongst the most sought after and collectable bottles available. The secret to their success and their particularly memorable and refined characteristics is the fact that Bordeaux red wines are made from a blend of grape varietals, most commonly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, helped by a touch of Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc. The other two key Bordeaux grape varietals which are also used in the blend of many of these excellent wines are Malbec and Carménere, although it is becoming less common to see these in use today. The art of blending primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape varietals is something which has been much imitated around the world, as it produces a wonderfully balanced, rounded yet massively complex and flavorful wine, ideal for oak aging The acid and tannin levels in each of these grape varietals is balanced and tempered by the blend, and generations of expertise has gone into the careful selection and cultivation of such quality grapes.
barrel

Region: Bordeaux

There are few wine regions in the world with a reputation as glowing and well established as that of the Bordeaux, in France. Situated mainly around the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, Bordeaux makes the most of its humid climate and rich, clay and gravel based soils to grow some of the finest examples of red and white grape varietals on earth. Wineries in this region have been in operation for hundreds of years, and have carefully developed the expertise required for the production of carefully balanced and utterly delicious blended red and white wines, alongside some exceptional single variety bottles. Many of the chateaux found in Bordeaux have become household names, due to their prestige and the excellence of their products, grown with love and dedication by heritage wineries in this beautiful and special region.
fields

Country: France

French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.