Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Taking advantage of the delicious fruit of 2006, this Branaire-Ducru shows a charming side. It brings out ripe, spicy black plums and black cherry spice to go with the lively, fresh tannins. That’s not to say that there isn’t structure, but today it is the fruit that dominates.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
By no means comparable to their sensational 2005 or 2003, but still an outstanding wine, this singular St.-Julien always possesses notes of spring flowers, boysenberries, black currants, and graphite. The complex aromatics are followed by a medium-bodied, classic Bordeaux displaying a deep ruby/purple color as well as moderately high tannin. It needs 3-5 years of bottle age, and should last for two decades or more.
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Wine Spectator
There's lots of blackberry, licorice and tar on the nose. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and plenty of fruit. Not the most complex wine, but outstanding. Best after 2014.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An icon of balance and tradition, St. Julien boasts the highest proportion of classed growths in the Médoc. What it lacks in any first growths, it makes up in the rest: five amazing second growth chateaux, two superb third growths and four well-reputed fourth growths. While the actual class rankings set in 1855 (first, second, and so on the fifth) today do not necessarily indicate a score of quality, the classification system is important to understand in the context of Bordeaux history. Today rivalry among the classed chateaux only serves to elevate the appellation overall.
One of its best historically, the estate of Leoville, was the largest in the Médoc in the 18th century, before it was divided into the three second growths known today as Chateau Léoville-Las-Cases, Léoville-Poyferré and Léoville-Barton. Located in the north section, these are stone’s throw from Chateau Latour in Pauillac and share much in common with that well-esteemed estate.
The relatively homogeneous gravelly and rocky top soil on top of clay-limestone subsoil is broken only by a narrow strip of bank on either side of the “jalle,” or stream, that bisects the zone and flows into the Gironde.
St. Julien wines are for those wanting subtlety, balance and consistency in their Bordeaux. Rewarding and persistent, the best among these Bordeaux Blends are full of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, plum, tobacco and licorice. They are intense and complex and finish with fine, velvety tannins.