Château Branaire Ducru 2011 – Saint-Julien 4ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is elegant, tightly wound and offers complexity and some melodiousness. There are notes of crunchy boysenberry, crushed blackcurrant and more slightly ripe wild strawberry combined with delicate notes of zan, a discreet hint of graphite, racy minerality and a subtle hint of grey pepper and an imperceptible sapiness. The palate is nicely juicy, discreetly tight and offers a tangy structure, minerality, a very nice freshness, suavity and a nice juicy/acidic fruit. A very nice freshness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of fresh cherry, plump redcurrant and more slightly juicy/tart/fresh black berry fruit combined with a hint of crunchy purple plum, fine saltiness, pepper and a discreet hint of toasted/crushed almond. Good length. Subtle hints of tonka bean and caramelisation/blond tobacco in the background. The wine needs to be decanted.