Branaire Ducru 2009 (750ML)

94+ Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2009 Branaire-Ducru has a medium to deep garnet color and reveals compelling notions of warm cassis, licorice, baked plums and hoisin with hints of sautéed herbs and pencil lead. Youthful and medium to full-bodied, it has a generous core of black fruits with a firm and grainy structure and bags of freshness, finishing long with great purity." 03/19

93 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2009 Branaire-Ducru has a crisp and delineated bouquet with dense black fruit, soot, cedar and light tertiary aromas, still quite backward but nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh acidity that cuts through the dusky black fruit laced with white pepper and soy, fanning out gently towards the finish that exerts an insisted grip. This is a straight down the line great Saint-Julien. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting." 03/19

94 Points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com: "Lots of black fruits with some bitter chocolate character give this plenty of appeal. However, it’s a seriously tannic wine that still needs time to fully resolve. Drink now with hearty food or hold. Wait until 2022. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)" 03/19

93 Points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator: "A ripe, chewy, muscular style, with good cut despite the hefty tar, blackberry, roasted fig and singed apple wood notes. The long, anise-stained finish lets the tarry edge play out, though this shows a touch more finesse than some of its colleagues. Best from 2015 through 2025. 12,000 cases made." 03/12