Chateau Branaire-Ducru boasts one of Bordeaux's longest and most-storied histories, dating back to 1680 when Jean-Baptiste Braneyre realized the potential of the terroir and bought a piece of land from the failing Beychevelle estate it was attached to. Originally classified as a Fourth Growth in 1855, Branaire-Ducru has quietly risen from the ashes to become a heralded estate with ingenuous blends. The brand is still pushing its limits today, reaching new heights with each passing year. 

Passing The Baton

Jean-Baptiste Braneyre and his family owned and operated the estate for multiple generations, opting to change the spelling of the estate's title to "Branaire." The estate was then transferred to family members, the Du Luc family, who changed the name to "Brainaire Du Luc," which remained for many years until family relative, Gustav Ducru, took leadership. With this, came the final name change to Chateau Branaire-Ducru. The estate remained within this family lineage until 1919, undergoing numerous ownership changes.

Branaire-Ducru took its modern form in 1988 when former banker Patrick Maroteaux and his family bought the brand and refurbished all operations. From replanting vines, upgrading the vat house and cellar, and remodeling the chateau, Maroteaux was on a mission to bring greater awareness to the chaotic Fourth Growth estate. In addition to refurbishing the site, Maroteaux brought in a young Philippe Dhaulluin, who has since become director of Mouton-Rothschild. From the onset, Maroteaux was on a mission to produce wines that embodied the superior terroir of St. Julien while carrying a unique twist that would distinguish the estate as one of the best around. 

Stony Terroir in the Heart of Medoc

With prime terroir between Margaux and Pauillac in the St. Julien appellation, Branaire-Ducru is home to deep gravel and clay soils. The terroir is split into 15 micro terroirs across 60 hectares of land in one of the warmer parts of the region. Located on the top of the mounds overlooking the Gironde Estuary, pebbles are deposited into the vineyard from the nearby Gironne River, leading to beautifully produced grape varieties. The vines average an age of 35 years and grow in gravel alluvium; the split between varieties is meticulously planted by Branaire-Ducru, with each type contributing a special essence to the final blend. The breakdown is as follows:

• 65% belong to Cabernet Sauvignon, adding to the fruity and fresh taste of the wine
• 28% belong to Merlot, making the wine round and supple
• 4% belong to Petit Verdot, adding spicy hints to the blend
• 3% belong to Cabernet Franc, building on the wine's floral notes

Grown In the Ground, Crafted by Man

Branaire-Ducru utilizes biodynamic farming in their winemaking processes and stick to detailed methods to extract top-quality wines. During the harvest, every parcel is selected by hand and sorted on a table to ensure only the most perfect grapes are used. Once picked, the fruit is processed in tanks of different sizes and different varieties are kept separate. The wine is then aged in oak barrels made from timber from the best French forests and mature for at least 18 months.

The estate is also pursuing a 100% new gravity-fed vat room after acquiring a modern gravity-fed vat room in 1991, which was revolutionary for its time. These rooms allow Branaire-Ducru to eliminate the need to pump out grapes and instead, allows for parcel-by-parcel vinification. As the final step in the process, each harvest is fully bottled at the chateau.

Jean-Dominique Videau has been the estate's head winemaker since 2002, combining different grape varieties for each vintage and creating self-proclaimed "haute couture wines." Fruit, freshness, and elegance are the three words Branaire-Ducru wines live by and attempt to create in each bottle.

2018 Vintage Dazzles Critics

As Branaire-Ducru vintages grow in stature year-over-year, many critics agree the 2018 drink was arguably the estate's peak. It was a hot and dry summer- one of the earliest on record- while the winter and spring saw heavy rainfall, allowing the ground to absorb lots of water. The final bottling included a mix of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Its taste was defined by wonderful freshness, exceptional depth, and great finesse and balance. Neal Martin encapsulated this brilliance, noting the drink "indicates a family that is finding a new lease on life." This statement was very profound, as Patrick Maroteaux passed away the year prior, leaving son Xavier in charge of running the show.

However, critic James Suckling put it best of all when stating the 2018 vintage was "perhaps the greatest Branaire-Ducru ever made." With such stellar acclaim, how could any wine enthusiast pass up on this vintage?