Branaire Ducru St Julien 4eme Cru 2016

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Branaire Ducru
Label Name:
 
St Julien 4eme Cru
Vintage:
 
2016
Country:
 
France
Region:
 
Saint-Julien, Médoc, Bordeaux
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13.5%
Grape(s):
 
Cabernet Sauvignon 64%, Merlot 27%, Petit Verdot 6%, Cabernet Franc 3%.
Acidity:
 
3
Tannins:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Wine Spectator 96 (Top 100 #16, 2019). James Suckling 95-96. Wine Enthusiast 95. Wine Advocate (Robert Parker/William Kelley) 94+. Decanter 94. Vinous 92-94/93+. Sources: Wine Spectator, James Suckling, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Advocate, Decanter, Vinous

Tasting Note
Concentrated dark berry and cassis fruit with graphite, pencil shavings, tobacco and subtle cedary oak; structured, silky tannins and long, mineral-driven finish. Drink with aeration or cellaring.

Food Pairing
Western: roast lamb, prime rib, beef stew, aged cheddar, pâté. Asian: Peking duck, char siu (Cantonese roast pork), Korean BBQ (bulgogi, galbi), miso-marinated black cod.

Production Method
Hand-harvested; temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless-steel vats (gravity-fed vat room); ~3 week maceration; aged 16–20 months in French oak (c.60–65% new). Egg-white fined.

Vineyard Info
Château Branaire-Ducru, a 1855 Fourth Growth in Saint-Julien, is a 60ha estate improved by Patrick Maroteaux from 1988; family-run, known for elegant, gravelly terroir and modern gravity-flow cellar.