Gericht zoeken
 | 2018 Ch. Branaire Ducru - Saint Julien GCC | € 53,75 (€ 65,04) |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
François-Xavier Maroteaux verrast me met de fijnste Branaire Ducru ooit. Magistrale rijpheid van rood en zwart fruit, vanille en brioche vertoont zelfs wat canon de fusil. De crescendo opbouw is "glad", wars van elke ruigheid of overdaad. Fraîcheur en tannine complementeren het fruit. Binnen Saint Julien verschilt deze stijl; het is de outsider die het peleton overklast. Drie keer geproefd met telkens evenveel plezier. Super! Onderschat dit op eigen risico. Er is dit jaar iets meer Merlot opgenomen in het assemblage: 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc en 5% Petit Verdot. 60% nieuwe eik. Volgens François-Xavier zelf verenigt dit de toegankelijkeid van 2009, de structuur van 2010 en het classicisme van 2016. Volgens mij is 2018 een mijlpaal voor Branaire Ducru… en is er geen betere! IN DE PERS 96 Antonio Galloni - vinous.com (Maart 2021) The 2018 Branaire-Ducru is every bit as captivating as it was en primeur. Ripe, silky tannins give the 2018 a striking air of sensuality that only grows as the wine sits in the glass. Succulent red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint, spice and gravel inflections all open more over time. Even with all of its natural radiance, Branaire remains a model of grace. It is unquestionably one of the under the radar wines of the year. Drink 2026-2048. 93-96 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (April 2019) The 2018 Branaire-Ducru is fabulous. Bright, lifted and impeccably precise, the 2018 is one of the best recent Branaires I can remember tasting. The 2018 is distinguished by its vertical lift, striking aromatic intensity and exceptional balance. Lavender, rose petal, gravel, mint and sweet red/purplish berry fruit are all given an extra kick of textural richness. More than anything else, I was blown away by the wine's density and precision. The 2018 is dazzling. There's not much else to say. Well, except the obvious question, which is why is Branaire not at this level every year? The 2018 is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Tasted three times. 95-96 James Suckling – jamessuckling.com (April 2019) This is a fantastic Brainaire with deep and dark fruit, such as blackberries and blackcurrants. Lots of raspberries, too. Full-bodied with firm and creamy tannins and a super long finish. We will see if it’s better than 2016, but on its way. 93 Jane Anson – decanter.com (April 2019) 93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown – roberparker.com (Maart 2021) The 2018 Branaire-Ducru has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and an upfront, expressive nose of baked black plums, boysenberries and Morello cherries with an undercurrent of dried mint, spice box and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate packs a very pleasant fruit wallop, featuring juicy black fruits and a firm, grainy frame, finishing long with lovely purity. Drink 2023-2043. 92-94 Lisa Perrotti-Brown – roberparker.com (April 2019) The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Branaire-Ducru begins just a tad reduced with broody tar, rubber and fried herbs scents giving way to a fragrant core of warm cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry coulis with touches of smoked meats and tobacco. Full-bodied, firm and rugged in the mouth with brawny, muscular fruit and a sturdy frame of grainy tannins, it finishes long and savory. 94-97 James Molesworth – winespectator.com (April 2019) This is well-packed, with blueberry, açaí and blackberry fruit flavors and licorice snap and fruitcake notes. Long and refined despite the copious fruit, showing polish and poise through the finish. 93 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Maart 2021) The 2018 Branaire-Ducru was picked from September 19 until October 10 at 53hl/ha and is currently being aged in 60% new oak. It has retained the sophisticated bouquet that I found last year, featuring beautifully defined blackberry and cedar and hints of iris flower and rose petals. The palate is well defined with good density and backbone, something that you could argue was missing from Branaire-Ducru in the 1990s and early 2000s. It gently fans out on the finish but never wants to create too much of a commotion – that’s not its style. This indicates a property that is finding a new lease on life. Excellent. Drink 2023-2045. 92-94 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Oktober 2019) The 2018 Branaire-Ducru was picked from 19 September until 10 October at 53hl/ha and it is currently being aged in 60% new oak. Now this has a really fine bouquet, classic in style but with more fruit intensity than the 2017: blackberry, bilberry, cedar and a touch of singed leather. It is very Saint-Julien. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin. Notes of blackcurrant, raspberry, black pepper and cedar with fine acidity and more substance on the finish compared directly with the preceding vintage. Having visited this property for 20 years, I can safely say that this is the most impressive Branaire-Ducru that I have encountered at this stage. Drink 2022-2042. 17/20 Bettane & Desseauve (April 2019) 94 Jean-Marc Quarin – quarin.com (April 2019) 94-96 Roger Voss – wineenthusiast.com (April 2019) 18-18,5/20 Revue des Vins de France – rvf.com (April 2019) 93-95 Jeff Leve – winecellarinsider.com (April 2019) 18/20 Le Point (April 2019) Branaire DucruDe wijngaard van 60 hectare is aangeplant met 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc en 4% Petit Verdot. De familie van wijlen Patrick Maroteaux is er eigenaar van sinds 1988 en in het millésime 2018 maakten ze waarschijnlijk hun allerbeste wijn. |