Chateau Branaire Ducru

Château Branaine Ducru has a history dating back to 1680, when it was still part of the Beychevelle estate. After Beychevelle's owner passed away, the estate and its vineyards were in deep debts. To settle these debts, the vineyards had to be divided and sold. One of these new estates was Château Braine Ducru. The château has been owned by various owners. The domain is currently owned by the Maroteaux family. Château Branaire Ducru is part of the Médoc classification from 1855. The winery is classified as 4eme Grand Cru Classé.

The vineyard area covers a total area of 60 hectares, 70% of which is reserved for Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, petit verdot and cabernet franc account for the remaining hectares. The soil is deep and consists mainly of gravel with clay. The best plots are close to the Gironde River. The vines in the vineyards have an average age of 35 years. The oldest vines are over 90 years old!

The working method in the wine cellar is traditional. The juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of around 27 degrees. In this way, the primary fruit flavors are well preserved. Each barrel is filled using gravity. Since there is no pump, the wines are more elegant, and the aromas and tannin structure are better preserved. After the fermentation is completed, the wine is aged in French oak barrels. This maturation usually takes 16 to 20 months. In addition, the winery also produces a second wine, the Duluc de Branaire Ducru.

The best vintages of Château Branaire Ducru are: 1961, 1982, 1989, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.