Chateau Branaire Ducru 2016

WINE SPECTATOR: "The core of this red is loaded with pure plum, blueberry and black currant fruit flavors. The polished structure is integrated, with alluring ganache, anise and sweet tobacco notes throughout, all in a polished and balanced frame. A very classy red that isn't shy about its power but pushes its purity to the fore. Best from 2024 through 2039."

JAMES SUCKLING: "The best vintage of this wine since 2009! Effusive, fresh redcurrant and cassis aromas give this St.-Julien terrific drive and energy, the elegant, dry tannins beautifully married to the medium body, right through the long, agile finish. Drink or hold."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The wine is all about its balance between the purity in the red fruits, depth of flavor, sweetness and length on the palate. The salty chalky finish, with all of its ripe, delicious red fruits shows well. Elegant, lively, silky and stylish, with nothing out of place, give this beauty 10-12 years of age and enjoy it over the next 2 decades after that."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "The estate, at the southern end of Saint-Julien, has produced a wine that is both structured and stylish. This bold, ripe wine shows opulent black fruits and generous tannins. Juicy and structured, it has good aging potential. Drink from 2025."

DECANTER: "The last vintage of the much-missed Patrick Maroteaux, a sugar tycoon who bought the estate in 1988 and resolutely brought it to its present high level. Since 2002 the winemaker has been the assured Jean-Dominique Videau. The nose has delightful purity of fruit, with refined blackcurrant aromas. Very concentrated, but silky with fine-grained tannins. Spicy, complex and persistent, without excessive extraction. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2016 Branaire-Ducru is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc picked from 28 September until 19 October at 50 hectoliters per hectare, one of the longest harvest periods at the estate. The nose is quite intense with black fruit infused with pencil shaving and a touch of tobacco, unashamedly classic in style, a little distant compared to some other Saint Juliens but undeniably well defined and full of character. The palate is structured and masculine, exerting a firm grip in the mouth, spicier than its peers with cracked black pepper complementing the black fruit, tobacco and smoke towards the structured finish. There is great length here, very persistent in the mouth, a little "rougher" in texture than others, but that will be smoothed out during élevage and in bottle. Give this Branaire-Ducru five or six years in bottle because it has great potential, one of the best produced at the estate in recent years."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2016 Château Branaire-Ducru checks in as a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. This medium to full-bodied, downright pretty Saint-Julien has a complex, layered style in its mulberries, blackberries, saddle leather, and forest floor aromatics, with hints of graphite developing with time in the glass. Possessing terrific tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish, I’d certainly be happy to have bottles of this in the cellar. Give it a few years and it promises to shine for 20-25 years."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, dezente Randaufhellung, mit vegetalen Noten unterlegte Kirschenfrucht, deutliche Kräuterwürze. Mittlere Komplexität, dunkle Frucht, präsente Tannine, etwas Nougat im Abgang, mineralischer Nachhall."

WEINWISSER: "Purpur mit satter Mitte und violettem Rand. Intensive Nase nach Cassisdrops und Brombeergrütze. Am kräftigen Gaumen mit sehr engmaschigem Tanningerüst, der Körper wirkt malträtiert, feinspröde Textur mit blättrigen Noten, dazu Baumnuss und etwas Efeu im Rückaroma, gebündeltes Finale."