21 May 2021

Château Branaire-Ducru have this morning released their 2020 vintage for sale en primeur.

Last year, the 2019 vintage of Château Branaire-Ducru was a great success and sold out rapidly, with great quality and a 24.7% discount on the release price.  A hard act to follow, but we think the 2020 vintage is very impressive.  What was especially noticeable was the refined tannins and silky, textured palate.  The fruit is just as lively and as expressive as other 2020s we have tasted, but this creamy texture brought something distinct to our cask sample tastings.  The richness of the Merlot fruit in this year has most likely contributed some of this rounded mouthfeel on the palate. 

Jane Anson applauds the sense of terroir and elegance in the 2020, awarding it 93 points, with James Suckling scoring it 93-94 points.

François Xavier Maroteaux describes the vinification for the 2020 vintage in this short video:

Landing in spring 2023.

To order, e-mail us at sales@richardkihl.ltd.uk

Producer Profile

Château Branaire-Ducru, Cru Classé St.-Julien

Château Branaire-Ducru is a Quatrièmes Cru Classé in Saint-Julien.  Branaire was once part of the Beychevelle estate but in 1680 it was sold to Jean-Baptiste Braneyre.  Subsequently, a Branaire daughter married Pierre de Luc, and for a time the name became Branaire-Duluc.  The Ducru part of the name was added in the 1870s when Gustave Ducru became owner.  The current Château was built in 1842.

Banker Patrick Maroteaux bought the estate in 1998 and it is now run by his grandson, François Xavier Maroteaux.  The 60-hectare vineyard is planted to 70% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.  The terroir is deep gravel with clay soils. The peak elevation reaches up to 14 meters.  The vineyard can be divided into 15 different blocks with 70 different parcels of vines. On average, the vines are close to 35 years of age, but the estate has parcels as old as 90 years.