St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2003 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of ripe and slightly desiccated black and red fruits: cassis, mixed brambles, dark cherry, pipe tobacco, purple flowers, leather, graphite, some earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly savory. This is/was a rather unique vintage through Europe and yet, this is showing extremely well. Drink now with a brief decant and through 2038.

Blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and smoky cedar notes, aged 12 months in 60% new barrels. On the palate flavors of fresh blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and smoky spice. Fine grainy tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar, smoke and earthy mineral character. Very nice, but needs a few more years of bottle age to really enjoy!

Blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and smoky cedar notes, aged 12 months in 60% new barrels. On the palate flavors of fresh blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and smoky spice. Fine grainy tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar, smoke and earthy mineral character. Very nice, starting to drink now, will age a few more years to really enjoy!

2017 vintage. Good, but outperformed by the amazing 2017 Teynac.

Deep purple with blueberry nose to match. All around delicious. Misses a 93 due to slight underripeness that presents on the finish. Will improve with time.

92+ points

Blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, floral spice and smoky cedar notes, aged 12 months in 60% new barrels. On the palate flavors of fresh blackberry, plum and black cherry with cacao, tobacco, licorice and smoky spice. Fine grainy tannins, well balanced on long finish, ending with fruit, cedar, smoke and earthy mineral character. Very nice, will age well but wait a few more years to really enjoy!

The 2020 Branaire Ducru takes some time to unfurl in the glass and so I afford it 10 minutes to open with rigorous swirling. It repays patience with a tightly-knit, quite intense and disarmingly pure bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, loamy and light minty aromas. The oak is nicely integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins. As I remarked out of barrel, there is more weight on the back palate than older vintages, greater density and backbone. This has created a more satisfying Branaire Ducru with plenty of freshness on the finish. Bon vin. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2023)

awesomely rich nose of blackberry, cherry & currant ~ soft black licorice, cigar box & balsa wood

fruits taste muddled, candied and raisin like but w just a hint of acidity to make it work

Still tanninc and youthful. Great wine for sure

Losing some of it’s magic already.