Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
Particularly lustrous dark crimson. Sweet, beguiling toasty nose. Black cherry elements. Sweet start, not the most classic St-Julien by a long way but it should give pleasure. More developed than most. Drink 2005-15
1996: My concerns about the 1996 Branaire turning out too tannic were unfounded. Tasted three times out of bottle, it is a textbook Branaire, with a tell-tale floral, raspberry, and black currant-scented nose intermixed with minerals and floral nuances. Elegant and pure, with surprising lushness and sweet, well-integrated tannin, this medium-bodied, finesse-styled wine should be at its finest between 2005-2018.
There are very positive attributes to the 1996 Branaire, from its dark purple color, to its chocolatey, cherry, lead pencil, and toasty aromas and flavors. However, the wine is extremely tannic, somewhat austere, and although the ripeness and palate impression offer excellent purity, medium-bodied richness, and fine ripeness, the wine still seems disjointed and awkward.
Anticipated maturity : 2005-2015.