Château Haut-Brion - Pessac-Léognan

100 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
97 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
99 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
Château Haut-Brion - Pessac-Léognan - 2018 - 75cl - Onshore Cellars

Château Haut-Brion - Pessac-Léognan

100 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
97 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
99 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
100 points - The Wine Advocate
Vintage
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The 1998 Haut-Brion is the finest vintage from this estate between 1989 and 2000, surpassing the 1990. While it remains decidedly youthful at age 25, it is beginning to stir, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berry fruit, cigar wrapper, loamy soil, pencil shavings and burning embers. Medium-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's layered and elegant, with refined tannins, lively acids and a long, perfumed finish. Exemplifying the ideal of intensity without weight, it enjoys a slight edge over La Mission Haut-Brion in this banner year for both properties.
The 2018 Haut-Brion is composed of 49.4% Merlot, 38.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11.9% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine needs a lot of swirling before it begins to release a whole complex melody of notes, one at a time to begin: tilled earth, followed by pronounced licorice, then crushed rocks, then the preserved plums. Eventually, it all comes together into a fascinating crescendo of intense crème de cassis, rose oil, wild blueberries and kirsch notes, giving way to quiet, persistent leitmotif scents of cinnamon stick, truffles and redcurrant jelly. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers all this and more, revealing tightly wound black fruit, red berry and exotic spice layers within a solid, wonderfully plush frame and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and loads of earth and mineral sparks. This is a profound, highly intellectual, multilayered baby, which will require a good 7-8 years to begin to sing its incredible song, then should cellar a further 40 years at least. By way of reference, think 1989 with more restraint and even greater purity.
A blend of 53% Merlot, 6.3% Cabernet Franc and 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Haut-Brion sashays gracefully out of the glass with fragrant notions of black raspberries, kirsch, dark chocolate, star anise and candied violets with a core of warm red and black currants and a touch of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with red and black fruit layers, superbly supported by firm, ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.
The 2016 Haut-Brion is blended of 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is at once profound and arresting, offering drop-dead gorgeous Morello cherries, lilacs and red rose scents with a core of Black Forest cake, warm blackcurrants and blueberry preserves plus wafts of sandalwood and underbrush. Medium-bodied, the elegantly crafted palate is completely packed with intense floral, mineral and cassis-laced flavors with a firm frame of very finely pixelated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and achingly stunning.
A blend of 50% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium to deep garnet-purple coloured 2015 Haut-Brion is reticent to begin, languidly revealing crushed black cherries, ripe black plums, and wild blueberries with sparks of cinnamon stick, cloves, nutmeg, espresso, unsmoked cigars, tapenade, crushed rocks and lavender. The full-bodied palate possesses wonderfully complementary contrasts of bold black and blue fruit richness and delicately nuanced cherry fruit, baking spices and floral accents, strutting ripe, finely pixelated tannins and seamless acidity that is placed firmly in the background, finishing very long and with plenty of attitude. This impeccably poised, exquisitely perfumed 2015 Haut-Brion possesses the most alluring yet seemingly effortless beauty. While it bears only a passing resemblance in its opulent personality to the now legendary 1989, like that vintage the 2015 cannot fail to hedonically satiate and intellectually edify all lovers of great Bordeaux who drink it. What’s more, it also has the blue-blooded tenaciousness to remain this jaw-droppingly impressive, throughout its many guises over time, and for a very, very long time.
The 2014 Haut Brion is a blend of 50% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 39% Cabernet Sauvignon picked between 11 September and 10 October, cropped at 42.9 hectoliters per hectare and raised in 70% new oak. As I observed when I made the comparison in barrel, the Haut Brion exudes more red fruit than La Mission Haut Brion, adorned with wild strawberry, bilberry, tobacco and again, just that hint of menthol in the background. The palate is very fresh and taut on the entry. The acidity is very nicely pitched and there is a touch of marmalade and blood orange that is tangible at the back of the mouth. There is real frisson to this Haut Brion, not quite as seductive and as smooth as its sibling over the road, but very persistent in the mouth. I noticed that over 15 to 20 minutes that the Haut Brion just gained more and more complexity, putting a small distance between itself and La Mission, as if determined to mock my opinion in barrel that La Mission would have the upper hand! Be my guest. Haut Brion has an inch, just an inch ahead of its "rival" sibling.
The 2012 Haut-Brion has an open and generous bouquet with blackcurrant pastille, cassis, and briary aromas the exude very pure Merlot. The palate is medium-bodied with a sumptuous opening that is rare in 2012: rounded and generous, caressing in the mouth with black plum and blackcurrant towards the finish, residues of truffle and white pepper lingering on the aftertaste that turn very savoury after 15 minutes -bacon fat or Italian cured meats. There is a lot to love about this Haut-Brion although in this blind showing I scored it the same as La Mission Haut-Brion. Who will stick their neck out as the two wines mature?

Château Haut-Brion is a prestigious wine producer located in the Pessac-Léognan appellation of Bordeaux, France. The estate has a long and rich history dating back to the 16th century when it was owned by Jean de Pontac, a prominent wine merchant. The vineyards were planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, which are still the primary grape varieties used in the production of their wines today.

The style of production at Château Haut-Brion is traditional and focused on quality. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted before being fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for up to 22 months, depending on the vintage. The winemaking team at Château Haut-Brion is dedicated to producing wines that are elegant, complex, and age-worthy.

Château Haut-Brion produces both red and white wines. The red wines are made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wines are known for their power, structure, and complexity, with flavors of blackcurrant, tobacco, and leather. The white wines are made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, and are known for their freshness, minerality, and citrus flavors.

Overall, Château Haut-Brion is a producer of some of the finest wines in Bordeaux. Their wines are highly sought after by collectors and wine enthusiasts around the world, and are sure to impress even the most discerning palate.

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with exuberant notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and baked plums followed by nuances of dark chocolate, licorice and cloves. Full-bodied, the palate has lots of subtle earth and mineral accents with a firm, finely grained texture and great freshness lifting the long finish.
The 2009 Haut-Brion is deep garnet colored and slightly closed and shy to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal sensuous notions of warm blackberries, plum preserves, mulberries and blackcurrant cordial with touches of star anise, mocha and damp soil. Full-bodied, taut and tightly wound in the mouth, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruit and mineral layers with a very firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins, finishing long and earthy.
This is profound! 2008 Haut-Brion: The extraordinary 2008 Haut-Brion is a candidate for -wine of the vintage.- Composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, it reveals more evolution and complexity in its large-scaled perfume. The dense purple color is followed by a sweet nose of creosote, asphalt, blueberries, black currants and jammy raspberries, sweet tannins, a savory, fleshy mouthfeel and a stunning finish. This incredibly pure, noble wine was produced from one of the estate's smallest crops (only 7,000 cases produced versus the usual 12,000 cases). It should drink well for three decades or more.
The 2006 Château Haut-Brion has a more ostentatious bouquet than the comparatively reserved La Mission: quite feisty blackberry, briary, kirsch and red plum scents, hints of leather and sage tucked just underneath. This is a bouquet determined to make an impression! The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well-judged acidity, a gentle build to a concentrated, earthy, truffle-tinged finish that lingers long in the mouth. This seems to have the upper-hand over the La Mission and probably has a longer future. A thoroughbred from Jean-Philippe Delmas and his team.
The mineral-laced 2005 Haut Brion (56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc) is exquisite. With its elegance and finesse, it is not as powerful as La Mission, but the nobility and complexity of the aromatics, incredible fragrance (subtle smoke and blue, red, and black fruits) that persists in the glass, full-bodied mouthfeel (though very light and delicate on its feet), and incredible length characterize this great Haut-Brion. It is just starting to drink well, and should continue to do so for at least another three decades. It is a tour de force in winemaking, but only 9,000 cases were produced.
The bouquet is "pleasant" if not as complex as the 2004 Latour, yet it's possibly just biding its time as it gradually opens with black fruit, black olive, even a touch of mint that might dupe you into thinking Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied and very harmonious, almost caressing thanks to the Merlot lending that velvety texture. The second half changes tack, the Cabernet nudging the Merlot off the stage and delivering a more structured, possibly foursquare finish that is linear and correct. It is an excellent wine for the vintage although it will always be overshadowed by the 2005 inter alia
Even better, and clearly the best wine made in the Haut-Brion stable in 2003 (the last vintage of the great Jean-Bernard Delmas as administrator), the 2003 Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc that hit 13% natural alcohol, which seemed high at the time, but given more recent vintages is modest. Dark ruby/plum in color, with no amber or orange at the edge, the wine exhibits an abundance of roasted herbs, hot rocks, black currants, plum, and balsamic notes. Quite rich, medium to full-bodied and more complete, with sweeter tannins than La Mission Haut-Brion, this full-bodied Haut-Brion has hit full maturity, where it should stay for at least a decade. Bravo!
Haut-Brion’s 2001, which was bottled late (the end of September, 2003), possesses an unmistakable nobility as well as a burgeoning complexity. Plum/purple to the rim, this blend of 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc is playing it close to the vest, having closed down considerably after bottling. Nevertheless, it reveals pure notes of sweet and sour cherries, black currants, licorice, smoke, and crushed stones. Medium-bodied with excellent purity, firm tannin, and an angular, structured finish, it requires 5-7 years of cellaring.
The nose is simply breathtaking - quintessential Haut-Brion with ebullient red berry fruit, roasted herbs, gravel, terracotta tiles on a warm summer's day...it is simply wave after wave of intoxicating scents that could bring even the most stoic person to tears of joy. The palate displays heavenly balance, pitch-perfect acidity, perhaps spicier than previous bottles that I have tasted, and what depth and dimension in this outstanding wine. That hint of graphite on the finish is a cheeky nod to Pauillac, as if to thumb its nose at the First Growths, because alongside Château Latour, almost by stealth, the Haut-Brion is one of the greatest Bordeaux in this millennial year.
Type:
Red
Country:
France
Region:
Bordeaux
Appellation:
Pessac-Léognan
Producer:
Château Haut-Brion
Grapes/Blend:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot

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Behind the bottle

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Château Haut-Brion

One of the longest and most illustrious histories of all of Bordeaux’s great wines, Haut-Brion can lay serious claim to being the world’s first luxury brand.

The property...

One of the longest and most illustrious histories of all of Bordeaux’s great wines, Haut-Brion can lay serious claim to being the world’s first luxury brand.

The property derives its name from an ancient Celtic term “Briga.” Loosely translated, this means a rise or mound in the land.

“And there drank a sort of French wine called Ho Bryan (sic), that hath a good and most particular taste that I never met with…” Samuel Pepys, 10th April 1663

From Pepys and John Locke to Charles II and Thomas Jefferson, Haut Brion has been just as celebrated as the people who enjoyed and wrote about it.

The only estate classified for the 1855 Grand Exposition in Paris from outside the Médoc, it was no surprise that Haut Brion was ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé – the best of the best. With its distinctive embossed bottle and sophisticated label, Haut Brion is truly one of the greatest wines in the world.

The estate is currently owned by Prince Robert of Luxembourg following the marriage of Joan Dillon of the American Dillon family into the Luxemburg Royal Family. The winemaking has been in the hands of the Delmas family for three generations, and Jean-Philippe Delmas, the current winemaker, has amply filled his father Jean Bernard’s celebrated shoes. Often regarded as the wine aficionado’s great Bordeaux château (and certainly a favourite of Robert Parker) the wines epitomise power with elegance, structure with suppleness.

Château Haut-Brion
Bordeaux - Onshore Cellars

Bordeaux

Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90...
Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, needs little introduction as one of the world's most famous, prestigious and prolific wine regions. The majority of Bordeaux wines (nearly 90 percent of production volume) are the dry, medium- and full-bodied red Bordeaux Blends that established its reputation.

The finest (and most expensive) of these are the wines from the great châteaux of the Haut-Médoc and the Right Bank appellations Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. The former is focused (at the top level) on Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter pair on on Merlot.

The legendary reds are complemented by high-quality white wines based on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. These range from dry whites to challenge the best from the Burgundy region (Pessac-Léognan is particularly renowned) to the sweet, botrytized nectars of Sauternes.
Explore Bordeaux
Pessac-Léognan

Pessac-Léognan

Established in 1987, the Pessac-Léognan appellation is relatively young compared to other Bordeaux appellations. However, its history is deeply rooted in the ancient vineyards of the Graves region,...

Established in 1987, the Pessac-Léognan appellation is relatively young compared to other Bordeaux appellations. However, its history is deeply rooted in the ancient vineyards of the Graves region, which have been producing wine since Roman times. The Pessac-Léognan appellation lies just south of the city of Bordeaux, and its terroir is characterised by gravelly soils, providing excellent drainage and heat retention, which are essential for producing the region's highly-regarded wines.

The production methods used in Pessac-Léognan reflect the region's dedication to quality, innovation, and tradition. Winemakers here employ a combination of traditional and modern techniques, including hand harvesting, meticulous grape selection, and temperature-controlled fermentation. The use of oak barrels for ageing is common, imparting complexity and elegance to the wines. The region is best known for its red wines, which are typically a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. However, Pessac-Léognan also produces exceptional white wines, made primarily from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes, often with a touch of Muscadelle.

One of the most iconic wine producers in Pessac-Léognan is Château Haut-Brion, a First Growth estate with a history dating back to the 16th century. Haut-Brion is known for its robust, full-bodied red wines, which exude elegance and complexity with layers of dark fruit, graphite, and earthy undertones. The estate is also renowned for its dry white wines, crafted from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, displaying notes of citrus, honeysuckle, and mineral complexity.

Another celebrated producer in the Pessac-Léognan appellation is Château La Mission Haut-Brion, a historic estate dating back to the 17th century. La Mission Haut-Brion produces exceptional red wines with a reputation for intensity, depth, and longevity. These wines are characterised by their opulent fruit flavours, integrated tannins, and notes of tobacco, leather, and truffle.

Domaine de Chevalier is a highly-regarded producer of both red and white wines in Pessac-Léognan. Established in the 19th century, Domaine de Chevalier is committed to sustainable viticulture practices and a deep respect for its terroir. The estate's red wines are known for their elegance and finesse, with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, while its white wines showcase the complex interplay between Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, offering notes of citrus, pear, and subtle oak influence.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte, another prominent producer in the Pessac-Léognan appellation, boasts a history spanning over 800 years. Smith Haut Lafitte is dedicated to organic and biodynamic farming practices and is known for its refined red wines, which display a harmonious balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity, with notes of blackcurrant, cedar, and spice. The estate's white wines are equally impressive, offering a vibrant expression of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Gris, with hints of citrus, white flowers, and minerality.

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