cathy emery

9.0

The infinite monkey theorem syrah — 7 years ago

Anna Garcia

9.1

Best Rosé I’ve had, but I’m not a huge rosé fan hence the rating. But it’s good! — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Initially leather and dark cherries. After an hour, black tea, red plums and bergamot crept into the picture. Ready for business and delicious. Great with mozzarella and vegetable sheet-pan dinner. — 8 years ago

Nat Sakimura

9.2

JAL Business Class March 2017. — 9 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.0

V15. Well made and well done. Crisp, the semillon adds juiciness to bone dry wine. Enjoyable! — 10 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.4

Monkey 47 Dry Distiller Gin. Slightly hazy, water white, colourless. Pronounced intensity of perfume, juniper, lingonberry, violets, lavender, orange and grapefruit zest. With water added, more perfume and citrus notes to the fore. Dry on the palate. Warming alcohol, medium body, pronounced flavour intensity. Long finish. Very complex. Outstanding example of a premium gin. — 11 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

8.9

Smooth. Black cherries. Dry. An urban style Cab Franc bought at the Denver airport. Hurray for local wines! — 11 years ago

Robert Rothfield

9.2

What a difference a day makes...initially barnyard funk, tight and unapproachable. Next day open for business with kirsch and dark cherries with a long finish. A baby that has a great future — 11 years ago

Henrik Möbitz

Owner/Winemaker Henrik Möbitz Wines

9.5

Open for business — 12 years ago

Taryn Power

9.7

This is actually their Malbec. — 12 years ago

Dave Pula

10

One of the best Pinot Noir I've had — 13 years ago

Peter Miller

9.6

Cab Franc 2011 infinite monkey theorem — 14 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Second course...Chestnut Soup with a tiny hint of warmer spices (cardamom, clove, fennel) with a tiny tang and nut flavor with Madeira Cream. One of the best pairings I’ve done in some time.

Notes apply from last weekend.

Check out Chef Hedy’s Pop Up Dinner business @plate&bottle on Facebook. — 7 years ago

with James and Christina

Mike Saviage

9.3

Dark scarlet center with clear rims. Almost opaque. Wonderful fragrant nose. Notes of blue fruit, earth, violets, minerals, and some menthol. Meaty. Velvet glove in the mouth. Soft rich fruit with a nice balance of acidity that prolongs the finish. Was open for business immediately. RIP Mr Clape and thank you for this. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose, bright, ripe, ruby; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, blue fruit mix, strawberries, creamy raspberries, plums, cranberries, black tea, loamy soils, dry clay, dry stones, limestone minerals, saddlewood, crush dry rocks, dark moist soils, dark chocolate, vanilla, field of violets, lavender and fresh red florals.
The palate is medium-full yet a little lean. The fruits are elegant, ruby, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, blue fruit mix, strawberries, creamy raspberries, plums, cranberries, black tea, loamy soils, dry clay, dry stones, limestone minerals, used leather, cedar, crush dry rocks, dark moist soils, dark chocolate, vanilla, field of violets, lavender and fresh red florals. The acidity is very good. The length, balance and length are nice. The structure a little lean. It a well polished rich fruit finish, but is a little short.

Photos of; the Chateau, Owner Patrick Maroteaux (may he RIP), Estate grapes and their barrel room.

Producer notes & history...Branaire Ducru has a long history has a long history that dates back to 1680. In those days, Branaire Ducru was a part of a larger Beychevelle. When the owner of Beychevelle passed away, he left behind a huge Bordeaux vineyard that was seriously in debt. To pay off the debt, the vineyard was broken up and sold. Several new estates were created in Saint Julien, which include Chateau Branaire Ducru. Jean-Baptiste Braneyre created the estate in 1680. As was was tradition in Bordeaux, the owner gave the estate his name, which is where the first part of the properties name came was given. Braneyre was later altered to Branaire. Braneyre bought the land we know as Branaire Ducru because of the terroir. He understood that Cabernet Sauvignon grew best on the deep gravel soils found in the Medoc. With that, we have the birth of Branaire Ducru. Or, at least the Branaire part. The middle name was gained through marriage. Marie Braneyre married Pierre de Luc which as you can guess, gave us the Branaire Duluc (the name of their 2nd wine). Almost 100 years later, the first winery at the property was constructed in 1824. It took almost 200 years for the Ducru portion of the wines name to make its way to the label. In 1875, with no direct descendants, Gustave Ducru, a more distant relative took over the property and added his name to the label making it, Chateau Branaire Ducru.

Patrick Maroteaux bought Branaire Ducru in 1988 from the Tapie family who had owned It since 1919. Prior to his ownership of Branaire Ducru, Patrick Maroteaux had no prior experience in the wine business. His background was in banking and then a president of the massive sugar company, Eurosucre. Patrick Maroteaux also served as the President of the UGCB, Union of Grand Crus Bordeaux, and as the President of the Saint Julien appellation.
Since his purchase, Patrick Maroteaux has focused much of his efforts on performing extensive work in the vineyards and in the cellars. He also began reducing the yields. Additionally, he increased the size of their vineyards by 10 hectares. Patrick was also modernized their winemaking techniques.
In fact, Patrick Maroteaux was one of the first producers in the Left Bank to being filling his tanks entirely by gravity. He did this beginning with the 91 vintage. This was done with the help of Philippe Dhalluin.

Philippe Dhalluin left Branaire Ducru in 2004 and took the same position as the director for wine making at Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Philippe Dhalluin was replaced by Jean Dominique Videau.

Chateau Branaire Ducru is a family business. The son of Patrick Maroteaux, François Xavier Maroteaux has carried the family business and joined the estate. Sadly, on November 19, 2017, Patrick Maroteaux passed away at the age of 67. His son, François Xavier Maroteaux took over the full time responsibilities of managing the property.

All the new technical improvements at Branaire Ducru quickly paid off for Patrick Maroteaux. Beginning with the 2000 vintage, Branaire Ducru became one of the top Saint Julien wines. It’s also one of the better values for high quality Bordeaux.

The 60 hectare vineyard of Branaire Ducru is planted to 65% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is very close to the size it was during the time of the 1855 Classification.

The terroir is deep gravel with clay soils. The best terroir is located near the chateau, closest to the Gironde river. They also have blocks further inland, with a small section of vines placed close to Chateau Lagrange and Chateau Talbot. The vineyard can be divided into 15 different blocks with 70 different parcels of vines. On average, the vines are close to 35 years of age. However, the estate has older vines as well. The oldest vines date back close to 90 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,700 to 10,000 vines per hectare. The higher levels of vine density are for the newer plantings. The goal of the property is to continue increasing the vine density in all of their better terroirs.

Branaire Ducru, fermentation takes place in 28 temperature controlled, stainless steel tanks. The 28 vats vary in size. The vats range in size from as small as 30 hectoliters and up to 210 hectoliters. Each vat is sized for the needs of each specific vineyard parcel. Each vat is filled using the gravity based system.
Branaire Ducru is aged in 60 to 65% new, French oak barrels for between 16-20 months. The amount of new oak varies depending on the quality, character and style of each vintage. On average, the annual production is about 25,000 cases depending on the vintage. — 8 years ago

Mark D

9.5

At the Business Class lounge in Dubai — 11 years ago

Rob Lateiner

9.0

Totally open for business, just a bit too warm and loose. My favorite producer. — 12 years ago

Michael Dix

8.9

Stumped the group with sock monkey — 13 years ago

Ryan Key

9.1

Clean, crisp staple in the world of bubbles. Celebrating my business partner's first year with the company. — 13 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

A great vintage and stupidly good with Hedy’s Melted Racklette Confit Potatoes with smoked olive oil. What a pair!!!

If you enjoy this young, over chill and decant one hour. It needs it and it vastly improves.

Hedy is our good friend and is a chef who would earn 1-2 Michelin Stars should she choose to open a restaurant but, wishes not to do. Check out Hedy’s Pop Up Dinner business @plate&bottle on Facebook.

January 22nd notes apply. — 7 years ago

with James and Christina

Nerd_Emperor

9.4

Now this is some good monkey! LoL. A really nice sour beer to enjoy either with friends and a grill or by yourself watching Netflix in your underwear — 8 years ago

Stinkstank

9.4

Dry. Not a lot of depth. But good drinking. Slight bitterness. — 8 years ago

Bill Bender

9.5

I thought this showed exceptionally well for a vintage that for me usually shows a real lack of intensity on the left bank. This was mature, lively and open for business. Worn sweaty leather, grainy damp earth, round warm full deep crimson fruit. — 10 years ago

Benjamin Hickey

9.1

Really nice fine tannins but with a bit of grip on the finish. Fruit dominated. Not too heavy, food length. — 10 years ago

James Pendergrass

9.4

This wine is the business. The 09 is drinking incredibly well. The nose, dark red fruit, jumped out of the glass. I could smell it three feet away. Dark plum color. Medium body. Love this wine!!! — 11 years ago

Regis Zamudio

9.7

Love this blend from 2014 — 11 years ago

Gil Kulers

10

1944
One of the mysteries of wine. Young (yes, young), fresh (yes, fresh) red fruit, balanced, well-integrated tannins (no surprise). Great floral aromatics that evolved as it warmed. This wine had no business being as hedonistically delicious as it was. — 11 years ago

Katelyn Schwarz

10

Bomb dot com — 12 years ago

J M

9.4

Well rounded and wonderful with or without food. — 13 years ago

Paul Mason

10

Our go to summer wine — 13 years ago