2025 Branaire-Ducru (St-Julien)
Secondary Description
62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot
‘It was a very hot year in the vineyard,’ Estate Manager Jean-Dominique Videau told us, ‘but the acidity and the style of the tannins are very much those of a classic vintage, even if the dark colour makes us expect something heavier’. 2025 Branaire-Ducru is as fresh as it is fleshy, as dense as it is elegant. The fruit is quite, plum and blackcherry and cassis, with notes of lavender and cumin. It has supple tannins, a good line of acidity, and a persistent finish. ‘It has the body of 2022,’ noted Jean-Dominique, ‘but the flavours are fresher’. A beautiful example of a great Branaire. (NT 14/05/26)
‘It was a very hot year in the vineyard,’ Estate Manager Jean-Dominique Videau told us, ‘but the acidity and the style of the tannins are very much those of a classic vintage, even if the dark colour makes us expect something heavier’. 2025 Branaire-Ducru is as fresh as it is fleshy, as dense as it is elegant. The fruit is quite, plum and blackcherry and cassis, with notes of lavender and cumin. It has supple tannins, a good line of acidity, and a persistent finish. ‘It has the body of 2022,’ noted Jean-Dominique, ‘but the flavours are fresher’. A beautiful example of a great Branaire. (NT 14/05/26)
Producer
Origin
St-Julien, Medoc, Bordeaux, FRANCE
Colour
red
Wine Style
dry
Dominant Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon
Closure Style
cork
Maturity
young
Bottle size
75cl
Case Quantity
6
Alcohol
13%
Score
93 points, Jane Anson, janeanson.com, April 2026
94-96 points, Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com, April 2026
94-96 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, April 2026
93-95 points, Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2026
| Case 6x75cl | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stock in Warehouse | - | |
| Stock on Order* | 4 | |
| Price ib | £186.00 | |
| Add to Basket | Order | |
| *Estimated date for Stock on Order: 01 June 2028 | ||
Media Reviews
Jane Anson
Intense, knitted down with grilled cumin and cloves, sappy dark fruits, appellation typicity, an enjoyable enjoyable Brainaire. Yield 33 hl/ha. 60% new oak, François Xavier Maroteaux owner. 93 points
Yohan Castaing
The 2025 Branaire-Ducru is a compelling wine in the making, revealing an open, refined bouquet of cassis, mulberries, spices, flowers and pencil lead, with its new oak largely remaining in the background. Medium- to full-bodied, it’s sapid and perfumed, built around a seamless, layered core of fruit framed by finely grained, velvety tannins and concluding with a long, fresh and precise finish. Matured in 65% new oak, this blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc captures the estate’s signature style - polished, balanced and texturally refined - while clearly reflecting the brightness and freshness of the vintage. 94-96 points
Antonio Galloni
The 2025 Branaire-Ducru is a powerful wine with a darker fruit profile than most years. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, cloves and licorice open first. Floral overtones and brisk acids reappear to perk up the close. A clean, vibrant finish rounds things out in style. This is such a gorgeous and expressive wine. The 2025 is quite simply a fabulous Branaire. Tasted two times. 94-96 points
Neal Martin
The 2025 Branaire-Ducru was cropped at 33 hl/ha, which is not too low in the context of the growing season, but the smallest since 1991. Picking was from September 4 with the early Merlots and finished September 22. The Merlot on clay soils was deemed high quality and therefore comprises a slightly higher percentage of the blend. It is aged in 60% new and 40% one-year-old barrels. This has a flattering bouquet with black plum and strawberry fruit, and a noticeable though agreeable powdered chocolate/mocha note at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannins, a fine bead of acidity, and hints of mocha and mint merging with black fruit. The finish is quite linear and understated, keeping within the style of the chateau. Very classy, this will give a lot of pleasure without too much cellaring. 13.2% alcohol. 93-95 points