Château Branaire-Ducru Saint-Julien 4. Cru Classé 2022 i trækasse

Vert de Vin Magazine

The nose is elegant, delicate, all in subtlety / mastery and offers tension, finesse as well as a delicate airy side. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of luscious black mulberry, luscious/fairly ripe red plum and slight hints of violet associated with touches of roasted berries, crushed blueberry as well as slight hints of blueberry and a hint of black pepper. Complexity and a nice multi-layered side. The palate is nicely led, elegant, mineral, sumptuous, delicate and offers freshness, a tangy/fresh frame, a nice infusion/tangy side with accuracy as well as power in elegance and accuracy. What lightness and delicacy in its richness and material. Very nice freshness, delicacy and complexity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of Bigarreau cherry, blueberry, bright/juicy black berries associated with touches of bright blue berries, roasted red berries as well as hints of blueberry, mocha, cardamom as well as a delicate hint of caramelization, a subtle (and delicate) hint of fresh sap and a subtle hint of good bitterness. Nice racy grain and soft tannins. Very good persistence.

Jean-Marc Quarin

Decanter

One of the standouts of the vintage that impressed equally on three different occasions. Fragrant and expressive on the nose, lovely scents and dark fruits. Smooth and crisp, silky but concentrated, such precision and detail straight away with succulent and juicy acidity. There’s concentration no doubt, it’s ripe and intense, the dark perfumed blackcurrants and black cherries give a serious backbone and tension to the wine, while the minty, stony freshness carries the flavour and gives the energy and definition. Excellently weighted on the palate, with structure and a mouthwatering sensation that comes in once the weight settles. So well constructed with a beautiful texture and overall integration of all the elements. Exceptional quality and drinkability on offer with a delicious salty, graphite and flint finish that puts you at the estate. Overlook this at your peril. 2.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65pH. Harvest 12 - 24 September. 60% grand vin production. A yield of 34hl/ha. Tasted three times. This vintage was the first to be made 100% in the new cellar with double the number of vats than were available in 2020 for more precise fermentations. HVE3 certified. Harvest 12 September - 24 September.

Tastingbook.com

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Markus del Monego MW

Bettane et Desseauve

Bettane & Desseauve

Matthew Jukes

Alexandre Ma

The fruitiness is brimming, the tannins are delicate, and the violet is softly singing in the glass, this is a prime example of Saint-Julien. The ethereal beauty and slender body have long been the hallmarks of Château Branaire-Ducru. Yet, against all odds, it retains an incredible freshness in the warm, concentrated vintage like 2022. Thanks to cooler temperature fermentation and gentle extraction, this wine offers a vivid interpretation of "refinement" and a touch of savory on the finish. Hushed in youth and poised to blossom with age, this is the Wine that I highly recommend to Bordeaux enthusiasts.

Robert Parker

A brilliant wine that's the finest young vintage I've tasted at this Saint-Julien estate, the 2022 Branaire-Ducru wafts from the glass with aromas of violets, blackberries, sweet cassis, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional palate that's succulent, sapid and perfumed, framed by supple tannins and concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot that checks in at a healthy pH of 3.65. Why is it so good this year? In addition to the quality of the vintage, the new gravity-flow winery means fruit can be handled more gently, and picked more precisely, sub-block by sub-block, as the team now have fully 63 vats at their disposal, almost double their capacity through 2020. Given the Maroteaux family's sensible approach to pricing, this is likely to number among the must-purchase wines of the 2022 vintage, and it comes warmly recommended.

Andrew Caillard MW

Deep crimson. Ripe blackcurrant, mulberry, cacao aromas with some mineral notes. Generous and silky textured with ample dark berry/ plummy fruits, supple tannins and savoury notes. Bulds up chalky and minerally at the finish. (Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc 60% new oak)

The Drinks Business

Even more floral than Beychevelle, with rose petals and a touch of violet alongside the dark stone and plump berry fruit. The cedar arrives with gentle aeration, bringing even greater class and complexity. Incredibly soft and svelte, with a gracious and impressively dense and compact mid-palate. Fresh, bright and lively on the vivid finish, this is the best I’ve tasted from here. I find more and more similarities with its near-neighbour Gruaud Larose. 94-96+.

The Wine Independent

The 2022 Branaire-Ducru is made from 60.5% CS, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petit Verdot with a yield of 34.5 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gallops out of the glass with energetic notes of crushed blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and juicy plums, plus suggestions of clove oil, fertile loam, and dried lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate has a lot of elegance and finesse for its density and hefty weight, featuring lively black fruit layers and an approachable, grainy texture, finishing on a mineral note. Nicely done! The pH is 3.65.

Vinous

The 2022 Branaire Ducru was harvested from 12-24 September at 34.5hL/ha, the blend representative of their vineyard plantings. This feels refined and focused on the nose with plush red berry fruit, dried rose petals and orange rind scents. Classic Branaire. The palate is fresh on the entry with pliant tannins. It's very well structured to the degree that it conveys a sense of symmetry. Lightly spiced toward the finish with notes of graphite lingering on the aftertaste, this represents an excellent Branaire Ducru that will age over many years and will surely appeal to those seeking more classical Saint-Julien. Tasted three times and was more impressive each time. Branaire-Ducru continues its upward trajectory under proprietor François-Xavier Maroteaux. 14.3% alcohol.

La Revue du Vin de France

Jeb Dunnuck

An absolute gem of a Saint-Julien, the 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru clocks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Pure cassis, black raspberries, spicy wood, and dried flower notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant, beautifully balanced mouthfeel, and terrific tannins. In addition, it has a sense of freshness and purity that keeps you coming back to the glass. It's clearly the finest wine I've tasted from this château, which going forward merits serious attention.

Antonio Galloni

The 2022 Branaire-Ducru is a powerhouse, almost unnaturally so for this Saint-Julien, which is usually a more understated wine. A blast of dark plum fruit makes a pretty strong first impression. Licorice, cloves, spice, menthol and chocolate fill out the layers. Readers should expect a concentrated, virile Saint-Julien with compelling aromatic presence. In this warm, low-yielding vintage, Branaire is quite the brooding powerhouse. It will be interesting to see if more finesse develops in time. Impressive. Tasted two times. Drinking window : 2030-2052

VV Wine

This is a fascinating perfume, slightly smoky notes, mineral tones, cedar wood, cherries, cassis and herbs, even raspberries with more air, very complex. The palate is highly elegant, powerful, yet light-footed, creamy texture, lots of bite, great harmony, excellent length. A big, no, a very big Branaire!

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Deep in color, the wine displays its bouquet of flowers before getting to all of its dark, red fruits, spice, mocha, nutmeg, vanilla, and black cherries. While the aromatics are enticing, it is on the palate, with all of its silky-textures, creaminess, energy and most importantly, purity of fruit and concentration that provides you with the best part of the experience. The finish has never been this defined, elegant and concentrated in any previous vintage of Branaire Ducru. This is an entirely new level of quality here. Clearly, this is the best vintage of Branaire Ducru ever produced! The wine blends 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petit Verdot. 14.3% ABV, 3.65 pH. The harvest took place September 12 - September 24. The yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2027-2060.

James Suckling

The fine and intense tannins are very impressive because they fold beautifully into the wine, with blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of chocolate and hazelnuts. It's full-bodied with tight and focused fruit and a long and classy finish. Fantastic definition to this. Fresh. 60.5% cabernet sauvignon, 31.5% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc, and 2.5% petit verdot.

Terre de Vins