Château Branaire is a
winery in the
Saint-Julien appellation of the
Bordeaux region of France. Château Branaire is also the name of the main red wine produced by this property and which was classified as one of the ten 'Fourth Growths' (Quatrièmes Crus) in the
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
Vineyard
Although the actual château is located on the southern border of the appellation, across from
Château Beychevelle
Château Beychevelle is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of ten ''Quatrièmes Crus'' (Fourth Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classificati ...
, the
vineyards of the estate are spread throughout Saint-Julien. In total, the vineyards cover 50 hectares (about 120 acres). The majority of plantings are devoted to
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon' ...
(70%), followed by
Merlot
Merlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of ''merle'', the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the ...
(22%),
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire's Chinon. In addition to being us ...
(4%) and
Petit Verdot (4%). The vines average 35 years of age and are harvested by hand.
Wine
Château Branaire produces two wines:
* The grand vin Château Branaire (often referred to as Château Branaire Ducru) averages about 15,000 cases per year. Branaire uses a novel (for the area) gravity-flow style winery to minimize damage to the grapes as they are processed. The wines go through primary fermentation for about three weeks in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. About 1/3 of the production undergoes
malolactic fermentation in new oak barrels. Once fermentation is complete the wines are transferred into oak barrels (50% new oak) for 18–24 months of aging.
* The estate also produces about 7,000 cases of its
second wine, Duluc de Branaire-Ducru.
* A 1934 bottle of Château Branaire-Ducru is central to the
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl has be ...
story
Taste.
See also
*
French wine
*
Bordeaux wine
References
External links
Château Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Branaire-Ducru, Chateau
Bordeaux wine producers
Châteaux in Gironde