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.
Château Branaire-Ducru, a fourth growth in the 1855 classification, covers some sixty hectares (150 acres) that are located in the commune of Saint-Julien. The average age of the vineyard is 35 years.
The grape mix is 70% of Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% of Merlot, 5% of Cabernet Franc and 3% of Petit Verdot.
The wine is made in a very practical winery that relies on gravity, thus eliminating the use of pumps with the harvested fruit and the wine. There is a wide range of tanks of different sizes, making it possible to carry out a very fine selection based on the varying characteristics of the different vineyard plots. The wines are aged traditionally in barrels made from French oak. They are always fined with fresh egg whites.
Branaire-Ducru and Duluc de Branaire-Ducru wines are characteristically complex and have long ageing potential. Over and above this, they are made in such a way as to bring out the purity of their fruit, lots of freshness and as much elegance as possible.
