Haut Brion Tasting 1918-1999

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Tasted Thursday, September 11, 2014 by LWI with 915 views

Introduction

A rare occasion to an in-depth study of the chateau with the first known tasting note: ‘Off to the Exchange with Sir J Cutler and Mr Grand to the Royall Oak Taverne in Lumbard Street… and there drank a sort of French wine called Ho Bryan, that hath a good and most particular taste that I never met with.’ Samuel Pepys, 10 April, 1663.

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2001 Château Haut-Brion Blanc 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Mix between moth balls, beeswax and spice on the nose. Add some baked lemon/lime and you are there; Tight, long, emerging complexity, fine spicy finish – although some bitterness. Still on the young side.

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  • 1989 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Mature yellow plums, smells definitely of Sauternes, spices; High viscosity, heavy mouth feel - but fine acidity, slightly bitter finish. Quite developed (too developed), and perhaps not the best of bottles. Reasonable good length.

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Flight 2 (4 Notes)

  • 1918 Château Haut-Brion 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    High upper shoulder fill. Sound cork that came out in two pieces. Still a bit red, long watery rim. Chocolate, coffee, some leather on the nose; In the mouth there is an impression of minerals and stones, slightly earthy, yet elegant, very long, fresh, gorgeous finish. What a wine at almost 100 years!

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  • 1945 Château Haut-Brion 100 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    High upper shoulder. I suspected that this was a negociant bottle due to an atypical label with slim writing, bottle shape and capsule (green) (and because I have seen alleged 1945s with the typical heavy set 'fonts' of the pre and immediate post war bottles). The label did say that it was chateau bottled, though. Turid Alcaras from the Chateau who were so kind as to join in on the tasting told us that this was indeed the genuine label, only issued in 1944 and 1945 to celebrate the liberation). Deep fruit, caramel, spice, leather/earth, some bonfire; minerals, very powerful and youthful - still quite a bit of dark and very mature berries (!), the fruit is very clear, some roasted nuts. Not overdone in any way. Wonderful balance due to fine acidity. Splendid finish, some dusty tannins. A very powerful and special wine.

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  • 1947 Château Haut-Brion 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    The darkest of the 40s, short and brown rim. Some prunes on the nose, but also minerals; big viscosity, and some prunes in the mouth as well, big body - but at the same time it is a very fresh wine - strangely enough, noticeable tannins in the finish, complex, a slight burned note that tempers the over all impression somewhat.

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  • 1948 Château Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Classic and clean nose, sweet and sour, leather and spice, complex - what a nose! Classic Claret in the moth as well, very fresh, linear, tannic finish. A bit lean, the mouth lacks the complexity of the nose. Shorter than the other from the 40s.

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Flight 3 (3 Notes)

  • 1959 Château Haut-Brion 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Very, very deep and mature fruit, complex, some smoke; outstanding length, big body, but very clean and fresh fruit, enormous finish, some tannins are still noticeable in the finish. Wonderful bottle that was much cooler and fresher than many 59.

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  • 1961 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Super fill, perhaps 2 cm from cork, but the cork was soaked and rigid (hmm...). Dark, quite maderized smell, flat. Powerful wine, very mature fruit; this bottle was not right.

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  • 1966 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Decent fruit, but a bit thin, some odors that could resemble TCA, but they remained for several hours, so this was probably not a cork issue.

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Flight 4 (3 Notes)

  • 1988 Château Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Tough, tart and minerally wine, very classic Claret. Some may find it lean. Those who hold 10-30 years may have a somewhat more welcoming wine, although I suspect that it will always be an old-schoolmaster-type of wine. I like it.

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  • 1989 Château Haut-Brion 99 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    A browner tone to it than the 1988 and the 1990. Warm dark berry fruit (cherries, blackberries), and gorgeous depth to it, layered; warm and smooth mouth feel, very complex, endless length, curvy and sexy, some minerals, and also some tannins present. Splendid finish. A most moreish wine. Gained depth with air.

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  • 1990 Château Haut-Brion 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    A clean, linear and crisp wine, much more structured than 1989. Although there is plenty of body and intensity, this suffered from coming after the 89, and did of course not have the enormous fruit of that legend. Structured, and with a tough and tannic finish. In my view, at least 10 years too young. My best 90 HB so far.

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Flight 5 (2 Notes)

  • 1970 Château Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Fill was about 4.5 cm (just below the top of the 'button'), thus the best. Still, it turned out to be a decent wine, middle weight, with good length and fruit.

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  • 1981 Château Haut-Brion 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    A bit diluted, but the fruit was quite warm, and with a decent depth to it. A very good 1981.

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Flight 6 (4 Notes)

Flight 7 (4 Notes)

  • 1982 Château Haut-Brion 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Surprisingly fresh and structured for a 1982. Deep, yet quite cool fruit, good complexity, wonderful balance. Young. Had been laying in the same cool cellar since release.

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  • 1983 Château Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Slightly bretty? Although the wine itself is very clean, fresh and elegant, there was an unclean note on the side. Tannic finish. Very good and youthful bottle, otherwise.

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  • 1985 Château Haut-Brion 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Tight, very fine fruit with very fine depth to it, good minerality; round and warm, still structured and fresh. Outstanding length. My best HB 85.

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  • 1986 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Heavily corked.

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Flight 8 (4 Notes)

  • 1995 Château Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Depth to the fruit, minerals and smoke; mature dark berries, very structured, tannic and promising. Way too young.

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  • 1996 Château Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    About 50% merlot harvested in difficult and rainy conditions. A bit green and lean, paint. Perhaps should not be rated. Difficult to tell whether this was faulty bottle or the wine is just this strange. According to the Chateau, not a very successful year.

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  • 1998 Château Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    50% Merlot, 29% CS. As expected, warm and deep fruit, albeit a bit tart finish, quite tannic finish. Although very good, at this moment it lacks a bit in complexity.

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  • 1999 Château Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Fresh, and a strange mixture of being herbal and almost cooked fruit at the same time. Blueberry smoothie. Some menthol. 60% Merlot this year.

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Closing

Outstanding tasting. Haut Brion has to me, partly by reputation I guess, been a smooth, big and earthy wine. Some vintages had that character, like 1945 and 1989. However, many others were more linear upper west bank like, such as the 1982 (to much surprise), 1990 and 1995. So, I did not find that this earthy/warm brick character to be consistent. The other big question (though not necessarily about quality) - will the wines of the 80s and 90s (not to mention the next decades' wines) will do as well when they are in their 70s to 100s?

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