Saturated medium ruby. Spicy blackberry, espresso, cedar, flowers and a whiff of green coffee bean on the nose. Tight, minerally and high-pitched on the palate, with blackberry, spice and coffee flavors nicely carried by smooth tannins and brisk acidity. Offers noteworthy intensity and flavor interest for a 2013, but finishes with green notes emerging. Tasted from three different bottles on two different days, with very similar notes.

The 2013 Branaire-Ducru has ample black fruit on the nose, so much so that I suspect served blind you would not guess that it was the derided 2013 vintage! It is not complex per se, but there are decent pure blackberry and boysenberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, well judged acidity, a little abrupt on the finish but certainly fresh with a pleasant piquancy. Early drinking fare, but it is well made considering the vintage. Tasted at the property.

Bright cherry red. Spicy and dark with a hint of toast/char. On the palate, rounded, slightly thick texture. Overall smooth and dry and just slightly austere on the finish. (JH)