1996 Pessac-Léognan, Château Haut-Brion
About Producer
Haut-Brion is the first red Bordeaux to achieve fame outside France, long before Lafite or Margaux. References to the wine were in the cellar ledger of King Charles II from 1660 and Samuel Pepy’s diary entry of 1663 praised ‘Ho Bryan’ for its ‘good and most particular taste’. Famous fans also included John Locke who visited the property in 1677, the German philosopher Hegel who spoke fondly of the wine and Thomas Jefferson who had 6 cases shipped to Virginia, following his visit to the property in May 1787. Haut-Brion vineyards are in a cluster next to the château at 27m high, on gravel and clay soil. Haut-Brion was bought in 1935 by American banker Clarence Dillon and his great grandson, Prince Robert of Luxembourg now runs the property. Of note has been the Delmas family’s key influence in the reputation of the estate. Georges Delmas was hired in 1921, succeeded in 1960 by the revered Jean-Bernard and he in turn, in 2004, by his son Jean-Philippe.
Varietals
50% merlot, 39% cabernet sauvignon and 11% cabernet franc. Only 60% of the crop was utilised in the final blend.
About Appellation
Pessac-Léognan is the northern portion of the larger Graves region that was created as a separate AOC in 1987. The vineyards cover 1,491ha in red grape varieties, mostly cabernet sauvignon and merlot, and 275ha in white varietals, predominantly sauvignon blanc and sémillon. Though vines were first planted in Roman times, viticulture saw a boom in the Middle Ages and reached its peak after the marriage of Aliénor d'Aquitaine to King Henry II of England in 1152. Subsequently, red wines from this region reached fame in the British Isles as 'claret', a term that later became the colloquial way to designate Bordeaux red wines. Lying immediately south of the city of Bordeaux, it's home to First Growth Haut-Brion, the only estate from the region included in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, and to one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, Pape Clément, where the first harvest took place in 1252.
Tasting Notes
Alluring nose of dark fruits, tobacco, cedar, leather, loamy soil and dried herbs, smooth mouthfeel with velvety texture, ample volume and outstanding purity, multilayered flavours of black cherry, currant, raspberry, plum, smoke, truffle and menthol interlaced with sous-bois undertones, well-embedded acidity and resolved tannins carrying through a long, sapid finish. Though not the best Haut-Brion of the 1990s, this is a remarkable wine brimming with exquisite finesse, aromatic complexity and astonishing freshness. Showing power without weight, it’s intense and concentrated yet everything is delicately restrained and held in perfect balance. Throughout the palate, there is an enchanting alternation of drive and charm that is pure class. Still amazingly vivacious at 28 years old, this sheer beauty should remain in good place for a few more years. (05/2024)