Duluc de Branaire-Ducru 2017
by Château Branaire-Ducru
- Grape variety
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
- Region
- Saint-Julien, Médoc (AOC Saint-Julien), France
- Style
- red
- Alcohol
- 13%
- Vintage
- 2017
Price: CHF 26 In stock
About this wine
Château Branaire-Ducru is a Fourth Grand Cru Classé in Saint-Julien, known for making some of the most perfumed and refined wines in the Médoc — often described as the most aromatic expression of the appellation. Duluc de Branaire-Ducru is the second wine: the same blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, from younger vines and complementary parcels. The 2017 vintage in Bordeaux was shaped by a spring frost that reduced yields dramatically — forcing rigorous selection and producing concentrated, structured wines from the remaining fruit. Eight years on, the 2017 Duluc is drinking beautifully: the tannins have softened, the Cabernet Sauvignon has found its groove, and the wine shows the aromatic complexity that makes Branaire-Ducru's style so distinctive.
Tasting notes
Deep garnet, fully evolved. The nose is fragrant and layered — black cherry, violet and dark plum, with a cedar and pencil-shavings note that is the hallmark of aged Saint-Julien Cabernet. On the palate, medium-full with silky tannins and a refreshing acidity that keeps everything vibrant. The fruit is dark and concentrated, the finish is long and aromatic. Drinking at its best right now.
Aromas
black cherry, violet, dark plum, cedar, pencil shavings, tobacco, dark chocolate
Critic scores
- Vivino: 4.1
- Suckling: 92
- Decanter: 90
Structure
body medium · tannin medium · acidity high · sweetness dry
Serving
Serve at 17–19°C · Drink 2022–2030
Food pairings
Roast leg of lamb, Beef rib with bone marrow, Venison with berry sauce, Aged Cantal or Comté
Best for
Drinking now. Don't wait.
From the winemaker
Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from young vines and complementary parcels of Château Branaire-Ducru; classic Médoc vinification; aged in French oak barriques; 2017 vintage shaped by spring frost and rigorous selection.
Editor's note
Branaire-Ducru is known as the most aromatic estate in Saint-Julien — and Duluc carries that signature. The 2017 was a difficult vintage: spring frost cut yields, which concentrated what survived. Eight years on, this second wine is at exactly the right moment: the tannins are integrated, the aromatic complexity is fully open, and the Cabernet Sauvignon is showing everything Saint-Julien does at its most precise.
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