Chateau Branaire Ducru 2000

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Here is a huge ripe and luxurious wine, with great power. The texture is solid, filled with firm tannins, the flavors are black and ripe. Along with the power, though, is much of the elegance and poise that characterizes great Saint-Julien."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A beautiful wine from Branaire, the 2000 is close to full maturity, and should offer plenty of pleasure over the next 15-20 years. Its deep ruby/purple hue is accompanied by scents of boysenberries, black currants, and spring flowers. This medium to full-bodied, pure St.-Julien hits the palate with authority, displaying silky tannins as well as wonderful richness, depth, and texture." Drink: 2010 - 2030 - Robert M. Parker, Jr.

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: 93 THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Elegance, freshness, ripe fruits and soft, silky tannins bring this right where it needs to be at 16 years of age. With its classic Left Bank Bordeaux personality, the wine is filled with cedar, tobacco, blackberry and cassis, ending with a nice refined quality to the dark red fruits. This wine will easily remain at this level for another 10 or perhaps 20 more years."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This sports a tarry-edged core of slightly chunky-textured plum paste and cassis flavors. The lively, brambly finish is a touch chewy but has good enough energy, with an ample dose of cocoa powder and licorice root in the end. A bit squared off overall, but there´s plenty of stuffing here to wait it out a bit longer.—2000 Bordeaux blind retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2025. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 15,000 cases made."

WEINWISSER: 17 RENÈ GABRIEL´S BX TOTAL: "01: Sattes, dichtes Rubin-Purpur. Nobles, direktes Himbeeren- und Kirschenbouquet recht konzentriert. Satter Gaumen, wiederum diese herrlich frischen Fruchtnoten, darunter dominikanischer Tabak, viel Stoff, druckvolles Finale, bleibt wie immer bis zum Schluss auf der rotbeerigen Seite. (17/20). 06: Wuchtiges, zu Kopf steigendes Bouquet, Maulbeeren und Backpflaumen, ein Hauch von Dörrfrüchten und hellem Kaffee, Cigarrenkiste und Hirschledernoten im zweiten Ansatz vermittelnd, bereits jetzt eine erste Terroirexpression zeigend. Im Gaumen stoffig, noch Adstringenz vermittelnd, weisse Pfefferkörner, fein aufrauender Fluss. Grosses Potential, aber hat Mühe sine Harmonie zu finden. Kann aber auch sein, dass der Wein einfach keine Lust hatte, sich heute zu zeigen. (17/20). 10: Dunkles Granat, recht satt in der Mitte, bräunlicher Rand. Erste Reife im Bouquet, schöne Wildledernote und Havannatouch, dezent schokoladig dahinter mit feinen Rosinenspuren. Im Gaumen mit ersten Reifearomen und noch verlangenden Tanninen die recht viel Biss haben, kapseliges Extrakt, wirkt vordergründig und es fehlt an Fett, Fleisch und auch Länge. Kommt er noch? Es wäre zu wünschen!"

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Bright crimson and promising although still quite tight with marked acidity. Some very attractive perfumes have already developed but there is lots of tannin still to resolve."