Haut Brion 2016

The 2016 Haut-Brion has a beguiling sense of purity on the nose, which features scents of blackberry, crushed violet petals, hints of dark chocolate and even a suggestion of fresh fig. Underneath all this is a seam of mineralité that becomes more conspicuous with aeration, tightening everything up. The palate is medium-bodied with filigreed tannin, a satiny texture, perfect acidity and incredible harmony. Everything here is in the right place. Quite sensual in style, conveying an enthralling sense of delineation on the long finish. About as good as you will find in this vintage. Drink 2026-2080

Composed of 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6.5% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Haut-Brion is deep garnet in color. The nose beings with simple licorice notes before slowly unfurling to deliver growing scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, dark chocolate, and lilacs, followed by suggestions of crushed rocks, tar, black truffles and cardamom. The full-bodied palate is a tightly coiled spring, taut with black fruit preserves and earthy layers and framed by very firm, grainy tannins, delivering a burst of freshness to carry the long, long, long finish. This will need a good 7-10 more years to fully blossom, and it will be well worth the wait.

This is a monument for Haut-Brion and reminds me of the great 1998 but in a modern and bright style. Full-bodied, very tannic and superbly structured yet always agile and vivid. Its energy and dynamic nature grabs you by the shoulder and tells you it’s great. Staggeringly precise. It can’t get better than this, can it?

This has a little more reticence initially on the nose than La Mission, but after a few minutes the rich texture begins to reveal itself, with charcoal, tobacco, dark plum and damson fruits that are straining at the leash. It has hidden power and subtle oak toasting - this clearly feels no need to shout about its presence, but there will be plenty to discover over time. You can feel those tannins licking around your teeth, building up one layer at a time. A great wine En primeur that has settled into greatness. Drinking Window 2026 - 2046.

Tasted blind. Relatively pale garnet. Light and fresh on the nose. Just a tad simple. Lots of acidity and freshness but no great concentration of fruit. Though it’s deceptive as it really opens out on the end. Very refined.
Drink 2026 – 2046

Without doubt one of the world's greatest and most individual wine estates. The family traditions continue here with Jean-Philippe Delmas running the wine-making as his father and grandfather did before him and Clarence Dillon's great-grandson Robert de Luxembourg in overall charge of this wonderful property. Haut Brion - unlike the other First Growths - has never had a bad period and, for our money, is the most consistently great wine of Bordeaux. Since 1958 it has been bottled in the unique and iconic Haut Brion bottle. Deep colour with a tight, brooding nose of clove, cassis and wood smoke. The palate is tightly wound, with layers of fine tannin holding a dense core of brooding fruit. The lifted acidity gives great finesse to the texture of the wine, which is svelte, precise and fine on a very long, pure cassis finish. Currently more backward than many wines this year, it may take time to reveal its true qualities.

Brooding richness the nose has depth the palate has concentrated black fruits. Sweet in the middle the tannins are fine and integrated supple fleshy rich fruit. At the back fresher fruit gives a lighter feel fragrant stylish but there is sweetness rich fruit on the finish. 2028-48

Ambitious, concentrated and built for the long haul, this is a superb Haut-Brion that’s combines density and concentration with grace and fine balance. Scented, grassy and floral, it shifts into another gear on the palate, with layers of fine tannins, dark, savoury fruit and refreshing acidity. 2028-40

Immensely tannic, this is a great Haut-Brion, one of the finest for many years. It shows the severe side of this estate, with a dense structure to match the powerful black fruits. Rich with berry flavors and lifted by enough acidity, the wine will age for many years. Drink from 2026.