Château Haut-Brion 2023

Often more restrained than La Mission, yet no less complex; darker in fruit, more masculine on the palate. The juicy fruit is wrapped in the finest tannins—an iron fist in a velvet glove—with great precision and superb length. Built for a small eternity.

A stand-out wine from Haut-Brion this year and one of the most charming en primeur samples from the estate. A little sombre on the nose, quiet with dark fruit, blackcurrant and brambles. Not so open on the nose, but this wows on the palate—rich, dense for the vintage, weighty in the mouth, clearly ripe and so filling. Chewy and alive, this is brilliant with a buzz of acidity, a sharp, sour tartness, yet all so excellently delivered. So charming and so cuddly, this wine wants you to adore it. Bright and voluptuous—and not many can say that in this vintage. Really so great, still with chocolate, mint, pepper, raspberries, and floral notes all the way through. A complete knock-out because it has flesh, juice, brightness and style. 3.7 pH, 4.3 acidity, 80 IPT—the second highest year after 2010 for concentration. 42% grand vin production. A potential 100-point wine.

Even the nose is vibrant this year. You instantly sense it in the perfume with its flowers, red currants, smoke, spice, and cherries. The wine is powerful, yet reserved, long, intense, silky, and vivacious. The fruit has this lift that elevates on the palate. There is richness, elegance, and purity here. But, what is most striking is that on the palate, the wine moves in every direction, covering both sides, as well as the roof of your mouth as the wealth of fruit lingers for over 60 seconds. Part of the success of the vintage is due to July, with its cloudy skies, providing protection from the sun, helping to keep ABV levels down. There is also less green harvesting taking place this year. It is important to note that not only are the harvest dates becoming earlier here, they are also finishing later. More attention is paid to finding phenolic maturity on a parcel by harvest basis, adding nuance and balance. In the cellars, the extraction was soft, at lower temperatures, adding the elegance in the wine. The wine blends 52.3% Merlot, 38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9.1% Cabernet Franc, 14.6% ABV. 3.7 pH. Harvesting took place, September 4 - October 4. Only 42% of the harvest was placed into the grand Vin. Drink from 2030-2065. 97-99 Pts.

Haut-Brion has produced exceptional wines in 2023 across both Le Clarence and the main estate wine, and there is so much to enjoy here. Squid ink, oyster shell freshness and orange peel alongside deep waves of muscular tannins holding cassis, bilberry and blackberry fruits, tobacco leaf, cigar, espresso coiled power and pinpricks of energy. Knitted together, vertical lift, beautiful. A decades-delivering wine. Jean-Philippe Delmas director, Jean-Philippe Masclef technical director, no outside consultant. 69% new oak for ageing.

The ageing comes through subtly, without ever dominating, yet it immediately makes its presence felt. It likely serves to frame the many aromas, highlighting fruity and spicy nuances along with a touch of minerality. On the palate, the wine shows real breadth. It unfolds in an impressive, almost monolithic way, not especially forthcoming, yet with a reassuring serenity. A powerful, fleshy wine, somewhat reserved, with an obvious capacity to age, but above all very clear signs: it needs time to settle into place; it has everything required to create an exceptional symbiosis! A truly great wine in the making!

What power on the palate! Sun-drenched, juicy, with a vigorous chew on the finish and striking peppery notes, its profile is more classic than 2022. A corset of finely tapered tannins, a subtle mid-palate minerality, delicious crème de cassis aromas, hyacinth nuances on the retro-nasal, it will be a landmark wine—the potential is staggering.

96-98. Barrel Sample. Ripe black-fruit aromas as well as licorice give this wine its setting of firmness. It has a dense character and wonderful juicy black fruits that are powerful and concentrated. This is a wine with great potential.

Deep, intense, beautiful color with black highlights. A very aromatic, refined, fruity nose—subtle and truly Médoc in style. Complex, pure and noble as the glass is swirled. Full and fleshy on the attack, velvety through the mid-palate, with great class to the texture, the wine melts across the palate. As the seconds pass, its remarkable texture is a delight. Bursting with aromas, the wine finishes long, seamless, racy and unique.

Less immediately approachable than La Mission Haut-Brion, the 2023 Haut-Brion stands among the most powerful and profound wines in the range, revealing aromas of cassis, spices, lead pencil, gentian and dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it is fleshy yet seamless, endowed with remarkable energy and persistence. In this vintage, the terroir asserts itself with uncommon clarity, resulting in a Haut-Brion that is both racy and precise.