2023 Chateau Haut-Brion

Red Bordeaux Blend

France / Bordeaux / AOC Pessac-Leognan

$2,600
JD 98
RP 97
V 97
Size:
Quantità:

1er Grand Cru Classé

2023 Chateau Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan, France

Elegant and complex, Château Haut-Brion red presents mineral aromas and a unique complexity. Its strength lays in the finish, which is surprisingly long. This aromatic persistence is due to its very noble origins.

TASTING NOTES
A beautiful dark, deep red colour, with purple glints. At this stage, it is rather discreet on the nose. Swirling reveals of a complex multitude of aromas, with notes of perfectly ripe red and black fruits. There are already hints of liquorice and smoky notes, indicators of superb bottles of this wine. The first taste is remarkable for its softness and immediate presence. The wine then develops, powerful but still delicious, to finish long and flavourful. It is indisputably a magnificent Haut-Brion!

THE WEATHER
Winter was rainy and relatively cold.  As soon as budbreak occurred in mid-March, the vine’s growth was extremely vigorous, encouraged by regular rainfall and warm days.  This rapid growth required the teams to swing into action in the vineyard, where watchfulness of the vine’s health needed to be faultless.  Commitment from all the winegrowers, as well as the vineyard’s very privileged position, where leaves retain moisture for a short time thanks to good circulation of air here, made it possible to avoid a marked spread of mildew during the growing season, despite the pressure it represented. 

Flowering came about in excellent conditions and gave the sign of an abundant harvest.  This year called for a return to more green work: substantial green harvests were done, as well as leaf-thinning on the sunrise side of the row, in half of the vineyard.  On the other hand, trimming was restricted to maintain coolness in the soils and to protect the grapes thanks to the shade provided. Harvests of white grapes began on 21st August in scorching sunshine.  The grapes were healthy and working times were adjusted in order to pick the fruit only during the coolest hours of the day.  Refrigerated vehicles were used to transport the crop and the pace of the harvests remained steady so as to protect the aromatic qualities of the white grapes. 

These were particularly good, with acidity preserved and a satisfactory alcohol content, predicting pure, delicate wines, full of freshness.  For the red grapes, harvests started on 6th September, with the weather still very hot.  Ripeness was very good for all the varieties and the grapes showed superb concentration, rich in sugar and in phenolic compounds.  The berries were fresh and ripe, packed with taste.  The crop was abundant and this considerably prolonged the harvests, which continued right up until October, with the weather still very summery.  Days of heatwave did not take away the fruity, fresh character of this vintage.

Blend
52.3% Merlot,
38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.1% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol by volume
14.6° (provisional)
New barrels
68.7%

JD 98

Jeb Dunnuck

Rating (96-98). 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. Reviewed by Jeb Dunnuck, issue date: May 2024. Drinking window: n/a.
RP 97

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Rating (95-97). 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. Reviewed by Yohan Castaing, issue date: April 2024. Drinking window: 2025 - 2055.
V 97

Vinous

Rating (95-97). The 2023 Haut-Brion is superb. Silky, soft tannins enshroud a core of black fruit, gravel, chocolate, cloves and licorice, building into a potent, sumptuous, dazzling wine. Exotic and racy, with remarkable polish, this has a ton of potential. It’s an especially sensual, seamless Haut-Brion. All the 2023 needs is time—probably quite a bit of it, especially for readers who want a full-on Haut-Brion experience. Reviewed by Antonio Galloni, issue date: April 2024. Drinking window: 2033 - 2083.

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FREE WINE STORAGE: We provide FREE 6 Months wine cellar storage from date of purchase. Please choose this option at checkout and we will coordinate shipping for a later date.

SHIPPING: During warm summer weather, we recommend to only ship within the United States with Same Day or Next Day Air service to protect the wines from environmental damage. If you would like to waive this protection by shipping Ground, we will request a waiver be signed.

PACKAGING: Our premium wines need optimal temperature consistency, therefore are packaged in EPS foam shippers with gel pack (when needed) and shipped only during ideal weather temperatures.

For OWC (Original Wooden Case) orders, wine bottles will be removed from case and shipped inside a foam shipper box for safety (unless otherwise requested). The wooden case will be shipped separately at Ground service. If faster service is necessary please contact us.

WEATHER HOLD: In adverse temperature conditions, we reserve the right to withhold shipment until ideal temperatures return unless we receive explicit instructions via email to release the wines, voiding any guarantee. We will contact you if a hold is necessary.

FULFILLMENT: Shipments are via UPS.

  • Orders received Monday - Thursday before 2:00 p.m. will typically ship the same day.
  • Orders received Thursday 2:00 p.m. ~ Sunday will ship on Monday.

DELIVERY:

  • Same Day service within Los Angeles Metro area may be available if order is placed before noon, but not guaranteed. Please contact us directly at (626)714-7006 to facilitate expedited service.
  • During extreme temperatures, all shipments are recommended for Next Day Air.

Adult Signature: By law, all shipments of alcohol must be received and authorized by an adult. Our delivery carriers will not release packages without an adult signature and additional charges may be incurred if the package requires withholding or redirection.

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We ship within the United States to: Alabama (AL), Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC), South Dakota (SD), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VA), Washington (WA), West Virginia (WV), Wisconsin (WI), and Wyoming (WY).

  • CRITICAL REVIEWS
  • WINEMAKER NOTES
JD 98

Jeb Dunnuck

Rating (96-98). 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. Reviewed by Jeb Dunnuck, issue date: May 2024. Drinking window: n/a.
RP 97

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Rating (95-97). 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. Reviewed by Yohan Castaing, issue date: April 2024. Drinking window: 2025 - 2055.
V 97

Vinous

Rating (95-97). The 2023 Haut-Brion is superb. Silky, soft tannins enshroud a core of black fruit, gravel, chocolate, cloves and licorice, building into a potent, sumptuous, dazzling wine. Exotic and racy, with remarkable polish, this has a ton of potential. It’s an especially sensual, seamless Haut-Brion. All the 2023 needs is time—probably quite a bit of it, especially for readers who want a full-on Haut-Brion experience. Reviewed by Antonio Galloni, issue date: April 2024. Drinking window: 2033 - 2083.

2023 Chateau Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan, France

Elegant and complex, Château Haut-Brion red presents mineral aromas and a unique complexity. Its strength lays in the finish, which is surprisingly long. This aromatic persistence is due to its very noble origins.

TASTING NOTES
A beautiful dark, deep red colour, with purple glints. At this stage, it is rather discreet on the nose. Swirling reveals of a complex multitude of aromas, with notes of perfectly ripe red and black fruits. There are already hints of liquorice and smoky notes, indicators of superb bottles of this wine. The first taste is remarkable for its softness and immediate presence. The wine then develops, powerful but still delicious, to finish long and flavourful. It is indisputably a magnificent Haut-Brion!

THE WEATHER
Winter was rainy and relatively cold.  As soon as budbreak occurred in mid-March, the vine’s growth was extremely vigorous, encouraged by regular rainfall and warm days.  This rapid growth required the teams to swing into action in the vineyard, where watchfulness of the vine’s health needed to be faultless.  Commitment from all the winegrowers, as well as the vineyard’s very privileged position, where leaves retain moisture for a short time thanks to good circulation of air here, made it possible to avoid a marked spread of mildew during the growing season, despite the pressure it represented. 

Flowering came about in excellent conditions and gave the sign of an abundant harvest.  This year called for a return to more green work: substantial green harvests were done, as well as leaf-thinning on the sunrise side of the row, in half of the vineyard.  On the other hand, trimming was restricted to maintain coolness in the soils and to protect the grapes thanks to the shade provided. Harvests of white grapes began on 21st August in scorching sunshine.  The grapes were healthy and working times were adjusted in order to pick the fruit only during the coolest hours of the day.  Refrigerated vehicles were used to transport the crop and the pace of the harvests remained steady so as to protect the aromatic qualities of the white grapes. 

These were particularly good, with acidity preserved and a satisfactory alcohol content, predicting pure, delicate wines, full of freshness.  For the red grapes, harvests started on 6th September, with the weather still very hot.  Ripeness was very good for all the varieties and the grapes showed superb concentration, rich in sugar and in phenolic compounds.  The berries were fresh and ripe, packed with taste.  The crop was abundant and this considerably prolonged the harvests, which continued right up until October, with the weather still very summery.  Days of heatwave did not take away the fruity, fresh character of this vintage.

Blend
52.3% Merlot,
38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.1% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol by volume
14.6° (provisional)
New barrels
68.7%

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