Château BRANAIRE DUCRU 2005

Owner : Family group managed by Patrick MAROTEAUX
Manager : Jean-Dominique VIDEAU
Vineyard area : 60 hectares
Soil: deep quaternary gravels with clay in the subsoil
Grape varieties : 70% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc,3% Petit-Verdot
Average age of the vines : 35 years
Density : 6700 and 10.000 vines per hectare
Work in the vineyard : traditional ploughings or grass between the rows, depending on soils and vinesʼbehaviour.
Trellising and canopy management according to vineyard density and soil composition
New vineyards planted with vines selected in our own old vineyards and produced in our own nursery.
The entire vineyard is harvested by hand.
Harvest date based for each plot on phenolic analysis and berry tastings.
All work performed at the vineyard aims at producing perfectly ripe fruit giving a perfect image of
Branaire-Ducruʼs terroirs. Cabernet Sauvignon is predominant in our vineyard. It gives complexity,
style and power to our wines while preserving fruit and freshness - even in hot vintages.
Vinification, Aging : Stainless steel tanks with temperature control. Size of tanks adapted to size of
vineyard plots.
Tanks filling using gravity. First modern winery using gravity flow system in 1991.
Fermentation temperature : 26-28 °C
Maceration length: 3 weeks, determined by tastings and adapted to each tank.
The blending is early, before the end of February following the harvest.
Aging in oak barrels for 16 to 20 months with 60 to 65% of new oak. Woods selected in various French
forests according to their flavours and tannins quality.
Light toasting respecting the wineʼs fruit and aromatic purity.
Traditional rackings without pumpings.Fining in barrels with egg whites.
All the steps in the winemaking process and aging are aimed at expressing the grapesʼ potential and
thus our terroir in a wine where fruit, aromatic complexity go together with richness and balance,
without any overextraction and heaviness.
Wine consultants : Jacques & Eric BOISSENOT.
Average production : 350.000 bottles per year
Second wine : Duluc de Branaire-Ducru.
Proportions between first and second wines are determined by the blend tastings and depend on the vintage.
Grape vines under 15 years old are used in the second wine.
Wine evolution: we can start drinking Château Branaire-Ducru between 5 to 10 years after the harvest
and keep it 15 to 20 years or more according to the richness and the power of the vintage.
Duluc de Branaire-Ducru will be ready to drink 3 to 5 years after the harvest. It can also be stored
longer – again depending on the richness of the vintage.
Marketing : exclusively by Bordeaux wine merchants. Branaire-Ducru is distributed worldwide.
Château Branaire-Ducru is a member of the Bordeaux Union of Grands Crus, of Médocʼs Council of Crus Classés
and of the Bordeaux Wine Academy.

More information : http://www.branaire.com