Previously known as Branaire-Ducru, Château Branaire was part of the vast estate of Château Beychevelle. Since 1988, it has been owned by a French family group led by François-Xavier Maroteaux, son of the late Patrick Maroteaux (who passed away in 2017). The vineyard is situated on one of the finest gravelly ridges in the commune of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle. With vines averaging 35 years of age, the 60-hectare vineyard is primarily planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented by Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Harvesting is done by hand to ensure optimal berry selection. In 2023, the estate unveiled a new winery, the first suspended winery in the Médoc region, allowing for an increase in the number of vats - 75 vats, 65 suspended?– ensuring that the vinification process perfectly respects the plot-by-plot order.The wine is characterised by its aromatic richness and great suppleness. Since 1991, the winery has operated a modern gravity-fed system, which avoids pumping the harvest and the wine, preserving the integrity of the grapes. In recent years, this vineyard has consistently improved in terms of quality, as evidenced by the creation of a second wine and a focus on reducing yields to further enhance quality.

Read our article about Château Branaire-Ducru on the iDealwine blog

This Branaire-Ducru fine wine is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, the flagship grape variety of the Left Bank of Bordeaux, complemented by Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. These varieties draw their character from a terroir renowned for its richness and exceptional diversity of soils. The estate is mindful of this and manages its 60 hectares across 70 parcels with a sustainable farming approach.
In the winery, the integrity of the fruit is preserved through a gentle, low-intervention winemaking process. The grapes are fully destemmed and lightly crushed before being transferred into vats for fermentation. The maceration lasts three weeks. A number of pump-overs are conducted, tailored to the vintage. In line with the goal of preserving the fruit, extraction is kept gentle, and only a limited amount of press wine (around 13-15%) is used. The wine is aged 16 to 18 months in Bordeaux traditional barrels (medium-light toast) with 60% new wood each year.
Accessible from four or five years after bottling, Branaire-Ducru is extremely enjoyable at 10 years. Its ageing potential allows it to be savoured up to 50, 60, or even 80 years, depending on the vintage. Fragrant, rich and offering lots of depth, it epitomises the essence of Saint-Julien wines. It reveals a racy, pure character and tremendous elegance over time as the tannins mellow. This is, naturally, combined with the signature of the Château: purity of fruit, freshness and elegance of tannins.