Saint-Julien

Chateau Branaire Ducru is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed and grilled dishes.

On average, the vines are close to 35 years of age. But 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. It is the goal of the property to continue increasing the vine density in all of the better terroir.

The wine of Chateau 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 the vintage.

At Chateau 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 go all the way up to 210 hectoliters. Each vat is sized for the needs of each specific vineyard parcel. Each vat is filled using a gravity based system. Alcoholic fermentation takes place at temperatures between 26 to 28 degrees Celsius. The average length of maceration lasts about 21 days. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The press wine is aged separately.

Classified as a fourth growth in 1855 Château Branaire-Ducru is located in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Médoc region of Bordeaux. Since a family enterprise acquired it in 1988 and Patrick Maroteaux manages the estate considerable improvements to the property have brought to the wine a remarkable regularity of quality. Château Branaire-Ducru became a separate vineyard from the Beychevelle estate after the death of Bernard de la Valette Duke of Epernon in the mid 17th century when his assets were turned over to the French Crown to pay off his debts. In 1680 Jean-Baptiste Braneyre bought the property. His descendants the Duluc family had the current Château built around 1824. It was then sold to a relative Gustave Ducru. Since 1988 it has belonged to a French family group whose chairman is Patrick Maroteaux. Meanwhile the property has been fully renovated and the tireless pursuit of excellence has led amongst other achievements to the introduction of a second wine (Duluc de Branaire-Ducru) made mainly with fruit from the youngest wines. All this bears witness to the spectacular return of Château Branaire-Ducru as one of the elite Bordeaux wines. The whole team here is extremely motivated and strives every day to contribute to this fine success by producing top quality wines.