2012 Branaire-Ducru (St-Julien)

The 2012 Branaire-Ducru has a very lifted bouquet with vibrant black fruit, raspberry preserve, cedar and tobacco. There is something quite Pauillac-like about the 2012 as veins of graphite begin to surface. The palate is medium-bodied with vibrant black fruit tinged with boysenberry and black olive. It feels quite compact towards the second half, for Branaire-Ducru showing more density than recent vintages, but there is good balance here with a saline finish. Give this Saint-Julien another three or four years. Very fine. Tasted at the property. 90 points