Château Branaire-Ducru Winery

Classified as "4ième Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Julien" in 1855, the wines of the Maroteaux family have gained in complexity and freshness over the last ten years. They are among the best in the appellation.

If you are looking for a Grand Cru Classé from the Médoc that is not immediately recognised - and accordingly commands high prices - but which demonstrates exceptional consistency and class over many years, then Branaire-Ducru is the right address. It belongs to the friendly Maroteaux family, who still live in the small château today.

The Maroteaux do not make a big fuss about their wines, but are constantly on the lookout for the best possible quality for their cru and their vineyards. These cover around 60 hectares, mainly from the Beychevelle vineyard and a small proportion from St. Laurent.

Some of the vineyards consist of vines that are over 100 years old, but the average age is around 35 years due to some new plantings. The rather warm terroir is characterised by clay and gravel and is planted with around 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Extensive research has identified 15 micro-terroirs over the course of time. To do justice to these, a cellar was built in 1991 that is entirely gravity-based so that the wines do not have to be pumped over. At that time, 28 tanks were purchased, with ten more added in 2010.

An extension was completed in 2022, enabling even greater differentiation, so that 75 different parcels can now be vinified in parallel. The wines are fermented relatively cool and then matured in up to 60 per cent new wood for around 20 months. This results in wines of "aromatic integrity", as Patrick Maroteaux says. These are classic, fine Saint-Julien wines in the truest sense of the word, with density, fine flavour and a long maturation window.

photos: Château Branaire-Ducru