97-Points by 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.
Blend: 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 2.5% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak.
 
97-Points by 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.
 
97-Points by 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.
 
97-Points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
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. (WK)
 
 
Chateau Branaire-Ducru is located in the heart of the Medoc, between Margaux and Pauillac in the St. Julien appellation area. It is surrounded by the other great Classified Growths that populate this outstanding terroir.
The first deeds that feature in the history of the property date back to 1680, when Jean-Baptiste Braneyre, saw the extraordinary potential of this stony terroir and bought a precious piece of the Beychevelle estate.
His descendants, the Du Luc family, built the Chateau in 1824. With its neo-classical style, it has the appeal inherent in Palladian residences. The estate was then inherited by a relative, Gustave Ducru and remained in the family until 1919.
The official classification of Medoc Grands Crus Classés was established during the 1855 Paris World Fair by request of the Emperor Napoleon III. Branaire-Ducru was one of the 61 wines in the classification.
Having recognized the unrealized potential of this viticultural sleeping beauty, Patrick Maroteaux and his family bought Chateau Branaire-Ducru in 1988. They decided to write a new chapter in the history of this fourth grand cru classé of 1855 and embarked on massive refurbishment and work involving all the components that contribute to the production of great wine: the vines, the vathouse and cellars, as well as the Chateau itself, which is the most visible representation of an estate.
Patrick Maroteaux also became an ambassador of Bordeaux and Branaire-Ducru, presiding over the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux from 2000 to 2008, and the Saint-Julien appellation from 2004 to 2017.
François-Xavier Maroteaux took over the management of the estate in 2017. The history continues…