Bordeaux wine

Château Haut-Brion is a Bordeaux wine estate, rated a First Growth in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, the only estate from outside Médoc to be included. It is located in Pessac, Graves near the city of Bordeaux. Located in the Graves region, in the appellation Pessac-Léognan.

In addition to the grand vin, Haut-Brion produces a red second wine, from the 2007 vintage renamed Le Clarence de Haut Brion in place of the former name Château Bahans Haut-Brion. There is also produced a dry white wine named Château Haut-Brion Blanc, with a limited release of the second dry white wine, Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion.

Wine Spectator’s review :

"Haut-Brion has much sandier and stonier soil, with clay subsoils. This makes its wines slightly finer and racier than those of its Médoc peers. And there’s more Merlot in the Haut-Brion blend, almost double what’s in the others, which contributes to its distinctive character. Because of this balance in its soils and grape varieties, I think of Haut-Brion as a near-perfect compromise between the Left Bank and the Right Bank of Bordeaux—a sort of blend of such wines as Château Lafite, Château Margaux and Château Cheval-Blanc.

Haut-Brion can be difficult to judge when young, and particularly from barrel, due to its subtle nature. But once the wine assumes its true form, this first-growth shows an extraordinary depth of fruit and character, as well as ultrarefined tannins. There’s always an earthy, almost decadent undertone in the wine, with tobacco, fruit and spices coming through. Haut-Brion is wonderful to drink either young or old, although it comes into its own in a top vintage only after about 15 years of bottle age."