Château Branaire-Ducru 2010 - Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Powerful and harmonious, a remarkable wine for its vintage, with firm tannins and great aging potential—a classic Médoc for the discerning connoisseur.

About the estate:

This estate, located directly across from Château Beychevelle, has been completely revitalized by the Maroteaux family, who purchased it in 1988. The wine, produced from vineyards spread throughout the appellation, requires meticulous blending, a task carried out by a highly skilled team. Its consistency is exemplary, as is that of the second wine, Duluc.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

With its sleek lines, the château and orangery at Branaire-Ducru—owned by the Maroteaux family since 1988—will delight lovers of neoclassical architecture. Wine enthusiasts, meanwhile, will be captivated by the charms of this great wine. An impressive 2010 vintage with a deep black color tinged with mahogany highlights, whose bouquet also displays a strong personality with dominant notes of ripe, even overripe fruit, enhanced by the spicy and licorice-like notes of the oak. Powerful, dense, and long, sustained from start to finish by the subtle freshness that characterizes the vintage, the palate reveals a texture and body that make this wine a true Saint-Julien of class and aging potential.

About the estate:

With its sleek lines, the château (Directoire period) and orangery (18th century) will delight lovers of neoclassical architecture during a visit to this beautiful estate, which rises on the hillside above Beychevelle. Composed of gravel, this terroir is of the highest quality, and its potential for wine production was recognized as early as the late 17th century, when Jean-Baptiste Braneyre purchased the estate. With a 60-hectare vineyard, the estate has been owned by the Maroteaux family since 1988, who have made significant investments to restore the property to its former glory.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

A magnificent wine, very elegant and mineral, with an initial floral aroma. The palate is firm and taut but will soften over time while retaining that lovely, invigorating crispness, which is balanced by a subtle warmth.

About the estate:

Located next to Beychevelle, the château was purchased in 1988 by a family-owned group led by Patrick Maroteaux; more than two-thirds of the approximately 50 hectares under cultivation are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, and, in addition to Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the vineyard includes a small amount of Petit Verdot. With the help of the technical director at the time, Philippe Dalhuin, the wines gained in density and consistency, without ever losing their soul. Having moved to Mouton Rothschild in 2003, Philippe Dalhuin was replaced by Jean-Dominique Videau—who has since kept the focus on quality. New oak, in particular, is always used sparingly.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

This wine is more reserved than I would have expected, but it is nonetheless very impressive. The 2010 Branaire-Ducru displays an inky blue-violet color and abundant notes of blackberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, graphite, and intense floral nuances. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, with sensational ripeness, purity, texture, and length, the tannins are slightly more pronounced than I recall, but they are soft and ripe. This beautiful wine needs 4 to 6 years of cellaring and should age well for 25–30 years.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2010 is majestic, displaying intense fruit and great body, while retaining its purity.

About the estate:

François-Xavier, son of the late Patrick Maroteaux, now runs this admirable estate. Branaire-Ducru has quietly risen to the top and is now one of the Médoc’s must-visit estates. In recent years, the château has been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. Due to the nature of its terroir, Branaire-Ducru cannot produce a wine as full-bodied as those from the three Léovilles; it operates on a different level, offering greater finesse and suppleness, while aging admirably. The most recent vintages have reached a remarkable standard.