Branaire Ducru 2009

St Julien, Fourth Growth

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Tasting Notes
Haut couture becomes a wine! This dense purple wine has the tell-tale notes of flowers and pencil shavings, and its broad aromatics are intense and totally captivating. Powerful, rich, and full, but less tannic than the 2005 and more opulent, this is a dazzling Branaire to drink between 2017-2035. Score: 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2017-2035 01 March 2012
Only time will tell whether the 2009, another great effort from Branaire, will eclipse the 2005 and 2003. Certainly at 13.6% alcohol it is the most powerful Branaire ever made, and the final blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot showcases what a great vintage 2009 is for Cabernet Sauvignon. An inky/blue/purple color is followed by raspberry, boysenberry, crushed rock, graphite, and floral notes, and an opaque, broad, dense, substantial, impressively structured wine without any hardness. It requires 4-5 years of cellaring, and should last four decades or more. (Tasted two times.) Score: 92 - 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2014-54 01 April 2010
Gorgeous aromas of dark berries and wet earth, with hints of graphite. Full body, with juicy, chewy tannins and a long rich, fruity, and succulent finish. Best ever from here. Try in 2019. Score: 95 James Suckling, - Maturity: 2019+ 15 February 2012
Aromas of blueberry, dried citrus fruit and currant. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Structured and tannic, but sweet fruit behind. Score: 92 - 95 James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2010
Maybe not quite such a concentrated crimson as the 2010. Not so much to choose between the 2009 and the 10 on the nose. More muted than the 2010 and drier than I remember. Just a little heavy grip on the end - is this the lack of acidity? Not quite as fresh and direct as the 2010. Sweet finish, LOTS of tannin underneath. Score: 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2018-2030 12 May 2011
Dark crimson with a pale rim. Very light nose with a rather unwelcome note of coconut. Sweet start and very fondu. Just a little simple but lusciously so. I am perhaps looking a gift horse in the mouth here – though the tannins on the finish are pretty rustic. If this were sold at an attractive price it would please many. Some real succulence. 16.5+ points Score: 16 - 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2027 01 April 2010
Inky purple. Grapey, floral nose offers the full Branaire spectrum of sexy ripe black cherry, Oriental spice, dark chocolate and coconut aromas. Enters very bright, with rich, dense flavors of red cherry and pomegranate juice, then finishes impressively long and pure, with a lovely hint of fresh blackberry. The wine's lively acids give it great precision and extend its flavors on the aromatic aftertaste. The wine's youthfully aggressive tannins will greatly repay cellaring, and I expect this wine to age effortlessly for the next few decades. I recently had the amazing 1928 Branaire, and though I don't think this '09 will ever reach the heights of that wine, it may be pretty close. Score: 92 - 95 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2010
65CS 28M 4PV 3CF. Pronounced aromas or red fruit and spice, with touches of earth and leaves. Smooth and very chocolatey on the attack, then a good solid blackberry, pure cassis core. Spicy with a pleasing, soft texture and impressive structure on the back end. Will go some distance. Good stuff. Score: 91 - 94 Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2010
A well-situated Chateau that has reached new heights since the 2000 vintage and now produces one of the most elegant and well-priced St Juliens. Here the emphasis is on retaining fruit purity and freshness (and so fermentation at low temperatures, low oak toast etc). 65CS 28M 4PV 3CF. Pronounced aromas or red fruit and spice, with touches of earth and leaves. Smooth and very chocolatey on the attack, then a good solid blackberry, pure cassis core. Spicy with a pleasing, soft texture and impressive structure on the back end. Will go some distance. Good stuff. Score: 91 - 94 Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2010
Tasted at the château and at the UGC. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, some of the Merlot (28%) plots reached 14.8%, the overall alcohol is 13.55% and pH 3.53. The Petit Verdot (4%) had very high quality tannins with good finesse, and 3% from old Cabernet Franc. A bright garnet core. The nose is well defined, quite elegant, but perhaps showing a little tighter than other Saint Juliens. Blackberry, a touch of cedar, like at Ducru, just a faint scent of the Gironde estuary and then with time, just a faint hint of griottes. The palate is full-bodied, nice grippy tannins, a little edgier than Ducru, a touch my sharpness and the acidity is racier. Good structure, a touch more rigid at this stage but that will melt by the time of bottling. A saline touch towards the finish interwoven with a citric thread. Good length. This is a Saint Julien standing to attention on parade. Hopefully it will stand at ease by bottling. Tasted March 2010. Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 31 March 2010

Tasting Notes

Haut couture becomes a wine! This dense purple wine has the tell-tale notes of flowers and pencil shavings, and its broad aromatics are intense and totally captivating. Powerful, rich, and full, but less tannic than the 2005 and more opulent, this is a dazzling Branaire to drink between 2017-2035.

Score: 96

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2017-2035 01 March 2012

Only time will tell whether the 2009, another great effort from Branaire, will eclipse the 2005 and 2003. Certainly at 13.6% alcohol it is the most powerful Branaire ever made, and the final blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot showcases what a great vintage 2009 is for Cabernet Sauvignon. An inky/blue/purple color is followed by raspberry, boysenberry, crushed rock, graphite, and floral notes, and an opaque, broad, dense, substantial, impressively structured wine without any hardness. It requires 4-5 years of cellaring, and should last four decades or more. (Tasted two times.)

Score: 92 - 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2014-54 01 April 2010

Gorgeous aromas of dark berries and wet earth, with hints of graphite. Full body, with juicy, chewy tannins and a long rich, fruity, and succulent finish. Best ever from here. Try in 2019.

Score: 95

James Suckling, - Maturity: 2019+ 15 February 2012

Aromas of blueberry, dried citrus fruit and currant. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Structured and tannic, but sweet fruit behind.

Score: 92 - 95

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2010

Maybe not quite such a concentrated crimson as the 2010. Not so much to choose between the 2009 and the 10 on the nose. More muted than the 2010 and drier than I remember. Just a little heavy grip on the end - is this the lack of acidity? Not quite as fresh and direct as the 2010. Sweet finish, LOTS of tannin underneath.

Score: 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2018-2030 12 May 2011

Dark crimson with a pale rim. Very light nose with a rather unwelcome note of coconut. Sweet start and very fondu. Just a little simple but lusciously so. I am perhaps looking a gift horse in the mouth here – though the tannins on the finish are pretty rustic. If this were sold at an attractive price it would please many. Some real succulence. 16.5+ points

Score: 16 - 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2027 01 April 2010

Inky purple. Grapey, floral nose offers the full Branaire spectrum of sexy ripe black cherry, Oriental spice, dark chocolate and coconut aromas. Enters very bright, with rich, dense flavors of red cherry and pomegranate juice, then finishes impressively long and pure, with a lovely hint of fresh blackberry. The wine's lively acids give it great precision and extend its flavors on the aromatic aftertaste. The wine's youthfully aggressive tannins will greatly repay cellaring, and I expect this wine to age effortlessly for the next few decades. I recently had the amazing 1928 Branaire, and though I don't think this '09 will ever reach the heights of that wine, it may be pretty close.

Score: 92 - 95

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2010

65CS 28M 4PV 3CF. Pronounced aromas or red fruit and spice, with touches of earth and leaves. Smooth and very chocolatey on the attack, then a good solid blackberry, pure cassis core. Spicy with a pleasing, soft texture and impressive structure on the back end. Will go some distance. Good stuff.

Score: 91 - 94

Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2010

A well-situated Chateau that has reached new heights since the 2000 vintage and now produces one of the most elegant and well-priced St Juliens. Here the emphasis is on retaining fruit purity and freshness (and so fermentation at low temperatures, low oak toast etc). 65CS 28M 4PV 3CF. Pronounced aromas or red fruit and spice, with touches of earth and leaves. Smooth and very chocolatey on the attack, then a good solid blackberry, pure cassis core. Spicy with a pleasing, soft texture and impressive structure on the back end. Will go some distance. Good stuff.

Score: 91 - 94

Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2010

Tasted at the château and at the UGC. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, some of the Merlot (28%) plots reached 14.8%, the overall alcohol is 13.55% and pH 3.53. The Petit Verdot (4%) had very high quality tannins with good finesse, and 3% from old Cabernet Franc. A bright garnet core. The nose is well defined, quite elegant, but perhaps showing a little tighter than other Saint Juliens. Blackberry, a touch of cedar, like at Ducru, just a faint scent of the Gironde estuary and then with time, just a faint hint of griottes. The palate is full-bodied, nice grippy tannins, a little edgier than Ducru, a touch my sharpness and the acidity is racier. Good structure, a touch more rigid at this stage but that will melt by the time of bottling. A saline touch towards the finish interwoven with a citric thread. Good length. This is a Saint Julien standing to attention on parade. Hopefully it will stand at ease by bottling. Tasted March 2010.

Score: 90 - 92

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 31 March 2010

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