Chateau Haut Brion 2023

WEINWISSER: "52.3 % Merlot, 38.6 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.1 % Cabernet Franc, 50 bis 55 hl/ha. Dicht verwobenes Bouquet, zarte Anklänge an frischgepflückte schwarze Johannisbeere, Sandelholz und Holundergelee. Im zweiten Ansatz Schattenmorellensaft, heller Tabak und getrocknete Küchenkräuter. Am sehr komplexen Gaumen mit samtiger Textur, perfekt ausgereiftes, engmaschiges und kakaoartiges Tanningerüst, balancierte Rasse und ein Körper wie ein Modelathlet. Im konzentrierten gaaaaanz langhaltenden Finale ein Korb mit schwarzen Beeren, Schlehensaft, dunkler tiefschürfender Mineralik und königlicher Adstringenz. Eine Meisterleistung dieses Jahr – ganz nah an der Bestnote. "

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 52.3% Merlot, 38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9.1% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Haut-Brion has a pH of 3.7 and a deep garnet-purple color. It is quite closed to begin, needing a lot of patient swirling to coax out notes of plum preserves, black cherry compote, and wild blueberries, leading to perfumed hints of peonies, crushed stones, rose bud tea, and licorice, with a touch of wood smoke. The medium to full- bodied palate delivers black and blue fruit layers that shimmy and swirl in the mouth with jaw-dropping energy, accented by mineral and exotic spice notes and supported with a firm backbone and plush, plush tannins, finishing with a breathtaking firework display. Very clever wine!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "This is tight, yet so upright and proper, with a vertical line of fine tannin that runs true and deep. It’s medium- to full-bodied with an exquisite texture and a long, structured finish. 52.3% merlot, 38.6% cabernet sauvignon and 9.1% cabernet franc."

DECANTER: "A stand out wine from Haut-Brion this year and one of the most charming 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 but 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 and 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. 3.7ph 4.3 acidity 80 IPT - second highest year after 2010 for the concentration. 42% grand vin production. A potential 100-point wine."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "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."

VINUM: "Wie oft zurückhaltender als La Mission, jedoch nicht weniger komplex, dunkler in der Frucht, maskuliner am Gaumen, die saftige Frucht wird von feinsten Gerbstoffen umgarnt, eine eiserne Faust im Samthandschuh mit grosser Präzision und grossartiger Länge. Für eine kleine Ewigkeit gebaut."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The Grand Vin 2023 Château Haut-Brion checks in as 52.3% Merlot, 38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It's more focused and tight compared to its sibling, the La Mission Haut-Brion, but it has riveting purity in its black raspberry, currant, smoke, leafy tobacco, and scorched earth-like aromas and flavors. It's rich and full-bodied, with building tannins and a level of purity that's just about off the charts. As with most vintages of Haut-Brion, it should be given at least a decade of bottle age."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zarte Gewürznuancen, ein Hauch von Kräuterwürze, Bitumen, schwarze Beerenfrucht, zart nach Lakritze, facettenreiches Bukett mit zartem Edelholztouch. Komplex, stoffig und straff, Anklänge von feinen roten Herzkirschen, integrierte, tragende Tannine, frisch strukturiert, mineralisch-salzig, ein Langstreckenläufer."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2023 Haut-Brion exhibits a more Cabernet-inflected personality than the richer 2022, offering up a deep but youthfully reserved bouquet of dark wild berries, licorice, smoke and pencil lead mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, nicely integrated new oak and spices. Full-bodied, deep and velvety, it’s layered and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit structured around abundant but velvety tannins, concluding with a long, controlled finish. Somewhat reminiscent of the estate's successful 2006, it's a blend of 52.3% Merlot, 38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9.1% Cabernet Franc."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Seems to have more intensity than La Mission. Deep, floral and fresh. Very fine tannins with that plush, velvety texture only Haut-Brion can do. Builds on the palate to a persistent finish so there’s a certain power as well. Stony-fresh finish."