Chateau Haut-Brion Vertical

A rare opportunity to taste several vintages of Haut-Brion together. Having had little experience with First Growths, I jumped at the opportunity to participate in what turned out to be a spectacular tasting.

Before the tasting I didn't know anything about which vintages were presumably the superior ones, and which were the poorer ones.

A flight were both wines showed remarkable freshness.

• 2001 Château Haut-Brion Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Got plenty of oak aromas on the nose here, picked up a hint of tropical fruits too. Oily and smooth, but remarkably light and elegant. Just so fresh and young. Length of flavour is extraordinary, lightly bitter finish.

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• 1989 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Served blind (didn't have a clue). Very developed nose, making me think the wine was oxidized. Bone dry and supremely fresh. Notes of yellow apples and baked lemon finishes with bitter orange peel. Very good length.

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The finest flight I've ever tasted. Every single wine was spectacular, albeit in their own way.

• 1918 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  I have never been as excited to taste a wine as I was when this was poured, and boy did it deliver! Soaring with delicate aromas of red cherry-like fruits, cigar box, soil and minerals. The tannins were practically all gone, but for some dusty remains. Very light, but the amount of fruit still present was amazing, perfectly balanced by the acid. Last forever. I love this wine.

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• 1945 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Solid whiff of acetone at first, but thankfully it blew off with some air. Same aromatic notes as the 1918, but a more in your face note of cigar box. Also some red bell peppers here. Quality of fruit was just awesome, so juicy. Finishes with lovely red sour berries, underlined by a mineral note.

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• 1947 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  This was a completely different animal than the '45. Sweet sour nose of powerful red fruits at first, leaning towards plums. After a while the nose is all prunes. Very rich and fruity in the mouth, with a still solid grip from the tannins. Some spice comes into play in a very long finish. Hedonistic pleasure.

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• 1948 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Cool and classic nose of blackcurrant, tobacco, licorice and bell pepper. Shows a lot more restraint than the '47, and even the '45. Very elegant and refreshing in the mouth, solid mineral note. Tough and drying finish.

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Couldn't last forever with only perfect bottles, but the '59 was a really great wine.

• 1959 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Touch of acetone at first. Brimming with red fruits after some air, notes of licorice and tobacco, maybe some five-spice. Blackcurrant and red fruits with a seemingly perfect degree of maturity. Balance is spot on, and the finish is very long and ever so fresh. Gorgeous wine!

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• 1966 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Smelled like glue and burnt wood.

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• 1961 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Strange one this. Probably the bottle with the best fill, but showed clear signs of heat damage. All alcohol and warmth.

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Solid flight. Didn't care too much for the '88, but the other two were fantastic. Especially loved the '90.

• 1988 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Careful nose, not showing a lot. Some red fruits, but a bit green? Plenty of tobacco and black soil. A bit thin and hollow for me. Suggested by some that this needed more time. Not my favorite.

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• 1989 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Rich and fruit-forward nose. Hint of menthol/eucalyptus. A powerful wine, but it manages to keep its elegance. Dark, rich fruit, tobacco and black soil. Lovely balanced despite it's almost hedonistic showing. Long finish. A delicious wine.

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• 1990 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  This shows more cool fruits, and a clearer mineral note. Plenty of tobacco and just a touch of paprika. Smooth and silky, and extremely elegant. Awesome length of flavor. A beautiful wine. I really liked this one, perhaps even better than the '89.

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Wines from supposedly poor vintages, but these performed ever so well. Not the most precise and elegant, but oh so enjoyable.

• 1970 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  A solid wine with rich fruits, but a bit too much warmth on the nose and in the finish for my liking.

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• 1981 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Very fresh and pretty nose. Minerals and cool fruits with a lovely balance. Good length.

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Not my favorite decade.

• 1975 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  This too showed plenty of warmth. A bit pruney and dried out for my liking. Fairly fresh and lively mouthfeel, but also on the short side. I'd drink this as soon as possible. After a short period in the glass it's all raisin/prunes.

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• 1979 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Correct and precise nose. Cigar box, paprika, black soil and some red fruits (but fruit in the back here). Juicy, but elegant. Lightly drying and warm finish, but a solid wine nonetheless. OK length.

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• 1978 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Maderized.

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• 1978 Domaine de La Passion Haut Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Burned wood and spice on the noses. More enjoyment on the palate, but a bit short and drying. Wood chippings. Probably past it or a bad bottle.

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A mixed bag, some good and some not so good.

• 1982 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Riveting nose, just so expressive and full of rich dark fruits. Blackcurrant and cigar box. Easy-going and juicy. On the more simple side among the wines this evening, but a very fine wine. Really like it.

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• 1983 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Fairly similar to the '82, but not as expressive. More cool fruits and a more fresh style. There is however something off on the nose here, a bit muted. Not sure.

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• 1985 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Very tight, but lots in here. Lovely, cool and delicate fruit gives a juicy and silky mouthfeel, which ends in a tough and drying finish full of tannins. Improves significantly with air.

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• 1986 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Corked.

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Young and hard to judge.

• 1996 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Very herbal nose. Cool fruits and plenty of tannins. Massive. Alcoholic finish. Something strange with the bottle, I think.

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• 1999 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  This was perhaps the strangest bottle of the night. The nose is dominated by a sweet blueberry milkshake-like aroma, which shuts off anything else. In the mouth however, the wine seems, if anything, a bit thin and diluted. The fruit is hollow, and all I can think of is the tannins tearing of the inside of my cheeks. Don't know what to think of it.

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• 1998 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Expressive nose of dark berries. Vegetal and massive mouthfeel with plenty of fruit and darker tobacco-like notes. Seems very rough and awkward at the moment, hard to judge properly.

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• 1995 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Dark and massive. Some warmth on the nose, but really solid and cool fruit - very light mouthfeel, elegant. Finish is however dry and finishes abruptly. Tight and full of tannins.

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I love the 1918.