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2018 Château Branaire-Ducru

Light label condition issue

Removed from a subterranean wine cellar

Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

97James Suckling

Very attractive aromas of currants, tile and sandalwood with black and red currants...full-bodied...

95Wine Enthusiast

...dense wine that is built by firm tannins, bright acidity and great fruitiness...fully integrated into the blackberry fruits...

94Wine Spectator

Pure and driven, with expressive cassis and plum puree aromas and flavors carried by a graphite edge and backed with applewood, licorice root and tobacco notes. Lovely energy throughout.

94Jeb Dunnuck

...ample, earthy cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with sous bois, earth, lead pencil, and cedar...gorgeous, elegant wine...

93The Wine Advocate

...upfront, expressive nose of baked black plums, boysenberries and Morello cherries with an undercurrent of dried mint, spice box and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate packs a very pleasant fruit wallop, featuring juicy black fruits and a firm, grainy frame, finishing long with lovely purity.

93Vinous / IWC

...beautifully defined blackberry and cedar and hints of iris flower and rose petals...palate is well defined with good density and backbone...gently fans out on the finish... Excellent.

16.5Jancis Robinson

Light and fresh... Easy-peasy...some pretty grainy tannins on the end.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, St.-Julien

Saint-Julien is the smallest of the four main Médoc appellations with 2,175 acres of vineyards. It is just south of Pauillac on the left bank of the Gironde, and although it has no First Growth châteaux, its 11 Classified Growth estates are widely admired. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that winemaking in Saint-Julien from all classifications “is consistently both distinctive and brilliant.” He adds it is Médoc’s “most underrated commune.” The best-known estates are Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Poyferré, Léoville Barton and Gruaud Larose, and most of those have riverside estates. The soil in this appellation is gravelly with clay. Cabernet Sauvignon is the main grape grown, and it is blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and sometimes small amounts of Petit Verdot.