Branaire-Ducru St-Julien 2015

96 points (18/20)/'Le Coup de Coeur,' La Revue du Vin de France: "With its smoothness, ripe fruit and full-bodied mid-palate, this is a delicious, well-made wine. We praise its pretty, juicy finish. (2019)"

95-96 points Michel Bettane & Thierry Desseauve (The World of Fine Wine): "(65% CS, 26% M, 5% PV, 4% CF; 47hl/ha, 13.5% ABV). This will no doubt compete for the title of the most accomplished Branaire of the past 30 years, with a precision and finesse of tannic extraction that will serve as a model, said tannins being ample and packing more energy than in the past, despite the tenderness of the vintage. A wine to follow after bottling. (Issue 52; 2016)"

95 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2015 Branaire Ducru is a gorgeous, totally sexy wine. Rose petal, lavender, mint, sweet red berry and gently spiced notes give the wine much of its gracious, lilting personality. Precise and nuanced to the core, the 2015 Branaire is all class. It's easy to overlook Brainaire in the context of Saint-Julien, where most of the other important wines are much more powerful. Branaire always speaks with a hushed, discreet voice. Readers who appreciate finesse will find much to admire here. The 2015 is a wine of pure and total sensual pleasure. In 2015, the blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged for 18 months in French oak, 60% new. Don't miss it. Tasted two times. Drink: 2020-2040. (Feb 2018)"

95 points Wine Enthusiast: "This family-owned estate has produced a structured and dark wine with great concentration balanced by acidity and pure, creamy fruit. It is a wine with a good future. The aftertaste leaves juicy acidity and firm tannins. Drink from 2025. Alcohol 13.5%. (Feb 2018)"

94 points and 'Top 100 Wine of 2018 (#33),' Wine Spectator: "This pumps lush fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture notes along, pushed by a rather polished but ample structure. Lots of anise and violet details cascade in on the finish, giving this extra aromatic dimension. Best from 2020 through 2038. (1/10/18)"

94 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Vibrant, lush, refined, elegant, and almost at the start of its prime-time, drinking window, the wine is packed with mocha, tobacco, dark red fruits, earth, and spice on the nose, and on the long, vibrant palate. Drink from 2023-2045. (Nov 2022)"

93 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "The 2015 main bottling, as with the 2nd wine, has an approachability, an accessibility and a warmth to the fruits, with touches of grilled smoky oak. This is lovely, it has a good freshness to it and keeps the fruit bouncing along right through the palate. Less intensity than the 2016, but lots to enjoy and again the effortless balance of the appellation. Drinking Window: 2025-2040. (12/14/18)"

93 points James Suckling: "More open than many 2015 St.-Juliens at this stage in spite of the firm, dry tannin structure behind the bright cassis. The tannins need some integration, but with some patience (from 2021 or 2022), this will become a rather fine wine. (2/1/18)"