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2020 Château Haut-Brion

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RATINGS

100Jeb Dunnuck

...exhibits extraordinary aromatics of ripe black fruits, scorched earth, cold fireplace, and acacia flowers...absolute blockbuster on the palate, this structured, full-bodied, massively concentrated Pessac builds incrementally, with ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a great, great finish.

99The Wine Advocate

...aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with licorice, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's rich and layered, with an enveloping core of fruit that's girdled by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin.

98James Suckling

Aromas of blackberry, licorice, tile, stone and mocha. Tobacco and cigar, too. They follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins that go on and on. Sophisticated ripe fruit in the center palate with a brightness. Tangerines in the finish.

96Vinous / IWC

...smorgasbord of red and black fruit on the nose, Indian ink and pressed violets, touches of undergrowth (morels?) emerging with time in the glass. There is just a note of reduction here. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fresh and saline, with hints of black olive and white pepper.

PRODUCER

Château Haut-Brion

As one of the four original First Growth Bordeaux, Château Haut-Brion enjoys an illustrious history and has long been considered one of the jewels of French winemaking. Founded in the 16th century in Pessac, the founding family’s early winemakers employed such modern techniques as topping up vines and racking casks. The resulting wines were widely admired and were bought as investments as early as the late 1700s. Francophile Thomas Jefferson served Château Haut-Brion at The White House after he became president and the practice was continued by several of his successors. The château cultivates 106.7 acres given over to 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 18% Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 36 years and annual production is about 7,800 bottles of Château Haut-Brion and 88,000 bottles of the second line, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, formerly known as Château Bahans Haut-Brion.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Graves

Graves is on the left bank of the Garonne River south of the city of Bordeaux. The appellation takes its name from its soil, which is intensely gravelly thanks to glaciers that melted in the area a few million years ago. Graves is generally thought of as the birthplace of Bordeaux wines, since “claret,” as the English historically called Bordeaux reds, were being produced for export in Graves and shipped to England as early as the 12th century. Some Graves châteaux, including Haut-Brion, trace their history to the late 16th century and Thomas Jefferson was one of several notable wine connoisseurs who wrote admiringly about the wines of Château Haut-Brion. Haut-Brion’s popularity with international celebrities is perhaps why it was the only non-Médoc château to be included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. Graves makes red and white wines. The reds are predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The whites are made of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. The Graves AOC includes nearly 8,000 acres of vineyards. In 1953 a Graves classification was created for red wines, and in 1959 white wines were added.