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2016 Chateau Branaire-Ducru 4eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien
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Start Your Wine Collection with 2016 Chateau Branaire-Ducru 4eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien
Begin your portfolio with a prestigious wine that has a history of growth.- Enjoy fully managed, secure storage facilities with insurance coverage.
- Get expert advice on when to hold and when to sell.
Critics Scores
Connoisseurs' Guide
Striking in its aromatic generosity and richness yet not quite as forthcoming in flavor even though it shows great density and concentration on the palate, this solid, yet fairly tannic young Saint-Julien is a wine of promise far more than one of open and immediate appeal. That said, its promise is certain, but it will take some waiting – at least a half-dozen years is our guess – before proving that it is every bit as deep and involving as its altogether alluring aromas predict.
James Suckling
The best vintage of this wine since 2009! Effusive, fresh redcurrant and cassis aromas give this St.-Julien terrific drive and energy, the elegant, dry tannins beautifully married to the medium body, right through the long, agile finish. Drink or hold.
Wine Spectator
The core of this red is loaded with pure plum, blueberry and black currant fruit flavors. The polished structure is integrated, with alluring ganache, anise and sweet tobacco notes throughout, all in a polished and balanced frame. A very classy red that isn't shy about its power but pushes its purity to the fore. Best from 2024 through 2039.
Decanter
You can immediately see the quality and the depth of the 2016 vintage in the complexity of the expression and construction. Bottled in early July, extremely rich and full of black brambly hawthorn-edged fruits. The quality of the tannins is extremely impressive, there are lots of them, and they build over the course of the palate, but they are not constraining, and have a fine texture. After five minutes in the glass the blackcurrant fruit starts to come out. The tannins close in again on the finish, suggesting there is a long life ahead. A vintage that is so good for St Julien, not to be missed. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042
Wine Enthusiast
The estate, at the southern end of SaintJulien, has produced a wine that is both structured and stylish. This bold, ripe wine shows opulent black fruits and generous tannins. Juicy and structured, it has good aging potential. Drink from 2025.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Branaire-Ducru is a blend of 64 Cabernet Sauvignon, 27 Merlot, 6 Petit Verdot and 3 Cabernet Franc picked from 28 September until 19 October at 50 hectoliters per hectare, one of the longest harvest periods at the estate. The nose is quite intense with black fruit infused with pencil shaving and a touch of tobacco, unashamedly classic in style, a little distant compared to some other Saint Juliens but undeniably well defined and full of character. The palate is structured and masculine, exerting a firm grip in the mouth, spicier than its peers with cracked black pepper complementing the black fruit, tobacco and smoke towards the structured finish. There is great length here, very persistent in the mouth, a little "rougher" in texture than others, but that will be smoothed out during élevage and in bottle.Rating: 92-94
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Château Branaire-Ducru checks in as a blend of 64 Cabernet Sauvignon, 27 Merlot, 6 Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. This medium to full-bodied, downright pretty Saint-Julien has a complex, layered style in its mulberries, blackberries, saddle leather, and forest floor aromatics, with hints of graphite developing with time in the glass. Possessing terrific tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish, I’d certainly be happy to have bottles of this in the cellar. Give it a few years and it promises to shine for 20-25 years.