Xiao-Li Meng, Whipple V. N. Jones Professor of Statistics at Harvard and Founding Editor-in-Chief of Harvard Data Science Review, was inspired by a student to combine wine and statistics—leading to insights far beyond what they ever expected.

From wine tastings to data science, Xiao-Li Meng explores how statistics reveals simplicity in complexity – one glass, experiment, and insight at a time.

Wine, statistics & serendipity: A Harvard journey

Seeking simplicity in statistics, complexity in wine, and everything else in fortune cookies 

Ch. Haut-Brion is one of the oldest and best-known names in fine wine. The Bordeaux First Growth estate was created by Jean de Pontac, back in 1533, and its wines were among the first to be exported. Records detail 169 bottles of the wine (then as “Hobriono”) served to guests in 1660 by King Charles II. Just a few years later, on 10th April 1663, Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary that he had drunk “a sort of French wine called Ho-Bryan [sic] that hath a good and most particular taste I never met with”.   
While Ch. Haut-Brion is the oldest known estate in Bordeaux to bottle and label its wine as a Grand Cru, bearing both name and terroir – the name “Haut-Brion” has an historic attachment to a fair few other winemaking estates in the Graves region. The name Haut-Brion roughly translates as hillock and refers to the raised gravel hills found in the surrounding vineyards. It is these distinct raised, Günzian gravel soils that have provided such ideal conditions for grape growing over the last 500 years or so – providing the vines with much-needed drainage in Bordeaux’s marshy flatlands. Below the deep gravel lies a bedrock of clay which locks in the moisture, releasing it only when required in the drier summer months. This terroir is the secret behind the vineyards’ historic levels of consistency. 
Other famous châteaux that share the Haut-Brion name are all situated in the Graves region, just south of Bordeaux’s city centre. Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, situated immediately across the road from Ch. Haut-Brion, with neighbouring vineyards, is the most famous, while Ch. les Carmes Haut-Brion is situated just to its north and Ch. la Tour Haut-Brion to its south.
Controversially Ch. Larrivet Haut-Brion is not close to the other properties, but further south, near Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte. The property changed its name from La Rivette to Ch. Haut-Brion Larrivet in 1874, and it was only following a lawsuit, filed by Ch. Haut-Brion in 1949, that the château was forced to change its name to Larrivet Haut-Brion. (Neither Les Carmes de Haut-Brion or Larrivet Haut-Brion have a connection to Ch. Haut-Brion and the wider Clarence Dillon portfolio.) 
Today, Ch. Haut-Brion and neighbouring Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion are the two flagship estates of Domaine Clarence Dillon. Clarence Dillon was an American immigrant, who made his fortune as a financial broker on Wall Street in the 1920s. With French ancestors and a passion for French gastronomy (which included him taking an introductory course at the famous Paris cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu), he spent much of his spare time in France. In 1935, he eventually persuaded the current owner, André Gilbert, to sell him Ch. Haut-Brion, his favourite wine estate, and the property has remained in Dillon the family ever since. 
Clarence Dillon’s granddaughter, Joan Dillon, and her second husband Philippe de Noailles, Duke of Mouchy, expanded their holdings in the region, when they purchased Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion and Ch. la Tour Haut-Brion in 1983. It was following this acquisition that some famous neighbouring châteaux were absorbed into the portfolio and some wines discontinued, with the fruit instead used for Haut-Brion or La Mission Haut-Brion. 
The range as it stood in 1983 included the Grand Vins Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion Blanc, La Mission Haut-Brion and their famous white wine, Laville Haut-Brion. In addition to this, Ch. Haut-Brion produced a second red wine called Bahans Haut-Brion and a second white wine called Les Plantiers Haut-Brion. At Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion they produced a second red wine called La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion and also the red wine of Ch. la Tour Haut-Brion. 
In 2008 the fourth generation of the Clarence Dillon family, Prince Robert de Luxembourg took control of the estate, and a flurry of name changes took place, however the fruit sources have remained stable. From the 2008 vintage, Les Plantiers Haut-Brion was renamed La Clarté de Haut-Brion, while Bahans Haut-Brion became Le Clarence de Haut-Brion from the 2007 vintage. Laville Haut-Brion, La Mission’s famed white wine, was returned back to La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc from the 2009 vintage. 
For the Prince, the name changes were mainly a way to simplify the range for collectors. In fact, La Mission’s top white had originally been called La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc when first produced in 1923, however the winery didn’t feel the quality was on a par with the red and so changed the name to Laville Haut-Brion (after the lieu-dit where the white grapes were grown) in the 1930s. Bahans Haut-Brion had also taken its name from its lieu-dit; the name change reflected that it had become a second wine, not a cuvée from a separate vineyard (and paid tribute to Prince Robert’s gread-grandfather). 
Perhaps the biggest casualty in the development of the Haut-Brion properties was the discontinuation of Ch. la Tour Haut-Brion – with the last vintage 2005. Before Clarence Dillon bought the property in 1983, a portion of the grapes of the four-hectare estate went into the Grand Vin of La Mission Haut-Brion, while the rest was bottled as La Tour Haut-Brion.  Clarence Dillon bottled fruit from all four hectares of the property separately for a time, and it gained its own strong following – known for consistently producing memorable, age-worthy wines that defied its relatively low price point. But, in 2005, Domaine Clarence Dillon decided to put all the fruit into the second wine of La Mission Haut-Brion – La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion – and Ch. La Tour Haut-Brion was no more. 
Between the 1950s and 2012, an additional wine – Domaine de la Passion Haut-Brion or Domaine Allary Haut-Brion – was made. The wine has an interesting story, relating to a parcel of vines in the heart of the Haut-Brion vineyard, but owned by the Allary family. The Allary family didn’t make wine, but rented the vines to Haut-Brion, who paid them back by bottling some wine – which otherwise would have been Haut-Brion’s Grand Vin or second wine – under a special label, Domaine de la Passion Haut-Brion.  This was produced from 1954 to 1978. In 1979, EU law forbid the same wine to be bottled under a different label, so between 1979 and 2007, the fruit from these vines went into the second wine of Haut-Brion (then known as Bahans Haut-Brion). From 2008, the Allary family took back control of the vines and produced their own wine. Made by a different winemaking team managed by Stéphane Derenoncourt, the wine was bottled under a new label, Domaine Allary Haut-Brion. This lasted just five vintages until 2012, when Clarence Dillon finally bought the land from the family and the wine was discontinued. 
In 2011, the fourth generation of the Dillon family, Prince Robert de Luxemburg, branched out beyond the Graves region to buy Ch. Tertre Daugay in Saint-Emilion along with the vineyards of neighbouring Ch. l’Arrosée. From the two estates, he created Quintus. Ideally situated next to Ch. Bélair-Monange and Ch. Angélus, the vineyards are situated on a limestone hillock in the south-western end of the Saint-Emilion plateau.  In 2021, Domaine Clarence Dillon bought Ch. Grand Pontet, another 14 hectares of top Saint-Emilion terroir to further expand the Quintus estate. With the viticulture and winemaking at Quintus all under the control of the talented Haut-Brion team, it’s not surprising that Quintus has quickly gained its own following of collectors. Alongside the Grand Vin, a second wine Le Dragon de Quintus (first produced in 2011) and a third wine Saint-Emilion de Quintus (first produced in 2014) are made.

These various lost properties and wines are becoming harder to find, but offer a fascinating way to explore the full DNA of the modern-day Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion and Quintus. 
Your quick guide to the Haut-Brion wines
 Allary Haut-Brion (Domaine): made between 2008 and 2012 by a separate winemaking team from a parcel of vines in the heart of the Haut-Brion site (which is now owned by Haut-Brion) Bahans Haut-Brion: the second wine of Ch. Haut-Brion, first made in 1976 and renamed Le Clarence de Haut-Brion from the 2007 vintage Haut-Brion: the Grand Vin (red) of Ch. Haut-Brion, which dates back to the 16th century Haut-Brion Blanc: the Grand Vin (white) of Ch. Haut-Brion, first made in 1916  La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion: La Mission Haut-Brion’s second wine, introduced in 1991 La Clarté de Haut-Brion: the name for the second white wine of Ch. Haut-Brion from the 2008 vintage (previously Les Plantiers Haut-Brion Blanc) La Mission Haut-Brion: the Grand Vin (red) of Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion which has been made since the 16th century La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc: the Grand Vin (white) of Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, first made in 1923 under this name, before being renamed Laville Haut-Brion in the 1930s, and reclaiming its name once more from 2009  La Passion Haut-Brion (Domaine de): a bottling of Haut-Brion or Bahans Haut-Brion under a different label (from 1955 to its last vintage in 1978) La Tour Haut-Brion: a separate property owned by Clarence Dillon since 1983 (last vintage 2005); the fruit is now used for La Mission Haut-Brion’s second wine, La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion Laville Haut-Brion: the Grand Vin (white) of Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, renamed la Mission Haut-Brion Blanc in 2009 (as it was originally known when first made, prior to the 1930s) Le Clarence de Haut-Brion: the name for Ch. Haut-Brion’s second (red) wine since the 2007 vintage (previously known as Bahans Haut-Brion) Les Plantiers Haut-Brion Blanc: the second white wine of Ch. Haut-Brion, renamed La Clarté de Haut-Brion from the 2008 vintage Explore all current listings of Ch. Haut-Brion, Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion, Quintus, La Passion Haut-Brion and La Tour Haut-Brion or read more Editorial 

Since the Clarence Dillon family bought Ch. Haut-Brion in 1935 and neighbouring Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion and La Tour Haut-Brion 48 years later, the properties have become some of Bordeaux’s most collectable. We explore the genealogy of these illustrious estates – and their lost wines 

Exploring the genealogy of the Bordeaux First Growth Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion and its siblings La Tour Haut-Brion

The lost wines of Haut-Brion

For three decades, the FINE+RARE Group has stood at the forefront of the fine wine industry and is now evolving from a pioneering marketplace into a global platform that seamlessly connects collectors, connoisseurs and producers. With a 750-million-dollar portfolio under management, we are not just curators of the world’s most sought-after wines – we are architects of a digital, data-driven future for the industry.  
From Exchange to Platform: Scaling for the Future  At the FINE+RARE Group, we are engineering the future of fine wine trading, transitioning from a traditional exchange into a scalable global platform. This evolution mirrors the best practices in technology and digital marketplaces – designed to enhance efficiency, drive growth and streamline operations. With a single proprietary platform, we are not just connecting buyers and sellers; we are creating an ecosystem where access, agility and control are redefining the experience of fine wine buying, selling and storing.  In January 2025, we completed the core foundation of this platform, an advanced infrastructure capable of handling complex integrations, proprietary payments and data-driven customer insights. This centralized approach allows for rapid scaling while maintaining authenticity and exclusivity.  Our New Trading Platform in the United States  In April, we will complete the U.S. deployment and re-launch our back-end technology stack as well as our state-of-the-art digital front-end platform designed to enhance the fine wine buying and selling experience to our Vinfolio customers.   Key features include an intuitive Portfolio management system that offers a single-page cellar view, real-time market data integration, and wine trading capabilities, allowing clients to set their own trading prices and manage their collections with unprecedented ease.   The platform also boasts improved search and filter functionalities, enabling users to swiftly navigate a vast selection of products and access in-depth producer and region profiles. Additionally, the enhanced Editorial section provides rich content to assist clients in making informed purchasing decisions. These technological advancements ensure a more efficient, personalized and insightful journey for collectors worldwide.  Marketplace Dominance: The Ultimate Fine Wine Destination  Our marketplace model sets the FINE+RARE Group apart as the leading fine wine platform, offering collectors unmatched access to the rarest bottles. With a curated selection spanning Bordeaux, Burgundy and beyond, we provide a single-point solution for sourcing, valuation and sales.  Our global reach is a strategic advantage. With operations in the United States, United Kingdom, Asia and Europe, we facilitate 24-hour trading and logistics, ensuring that every bottle finds its rightful place in the hands of discerning buyers. Data is powering our marketplace, enhancing customer-product matching and refining real-time pricing strategies.  The Power of Global Integration  Through strategic mergers and acquisitions, including our 2022 merger with Vinfolio, we have expanded our reach into the U.S. market – the world’s largest fine wine economy. This integration has strengthened our compliance infrastructure, logistics, and direct-to-client capabilities, making the FINE+RARE Group the dominant force in fine wine trading.  Supplier Relationships: Strengthening the Global Supply Chain  At the FINE+RARE Group, our strength lies not only in our marketplace but in the deep, strategic relationships we have built with suppliers – including some of the world’s most esteemed wineries, négociants, and merchants. Through direct allocations and exclusive partnerships, we provide unparalleled access to rare and investment-grade wines, often securing highly sought-after allocations before they reach the broader market​  Our supplier relationships are carefully curated, ensuring authenticity, provenance, and trust in every bottle. Additionally, our logistics and digital integration strategies will soon allow suppliers to self-manage inventory, pricing and market demand with greater visibility and efficiency. This data-driven approach enhances liquidity, ensuring that both buyers and producers benefit from a dynamic, well-balanced marketplace​.  A Leader in Fine Wine Asset Management  With nearly $750 million in fine wine assets under management (AUM), the FINE+RARE Group is one of the foremost custodians of rare and investment-grade wines. Our digital portfolio platform empowers clients to manage, transfer, sell, and arrange deliveries with unparalleled ease. As we scale toward $1 billion in AUM, we continue to lead the industry in offering end-to-end asset management services.  Innovation: Digital Excellence  Technology is reshaping the fine wine market, and the FINE+RARE Group is at the forefront of this transformation. Recommendation engines are already enhancing customer experiences, while data-driven insights optimize pricing, stock management and logistics.   We are pioneering white-label solutions for elite producers, integrating client-facing web tools with backend logistics to expand their brand presence. Our recent collaborations exemplify how we are merging tradition with digital innovation to create new pathways for collectors and producers alike. Exclusivity Through Access: Controlled Supply & Distinctive Value True desirability isn’t created through abundance – it’s earned through intention and access. By curating rare allocations and exclusive offerings, we build a marketplace where scarcity enhances value, supports margin, and sets brands apart. This approach ensures our clients are not just customers, but valued members of a finely tuned community built around shared discovery and trust. Client Experience: The Art of Fine Wine Collecting  Our focus is not just on transactions – it’s on relationships. The FINE+RARE Group is built on a foundation of trust, expertise, and bespoke service, ensuring that each collector’s journey is tailored to their preferences. From legendary producers to emerging winemakers, our portfolio remains dynamic, engaging, and exclusive.  Through private tastings, curated events and elite collaborations, we offer collectors access to experiences as rare as the wines they seek. Our commitment to editorial excellence further deepens engagement, providing insights into vintages, producers and market trends.  The Future: A Marketplace Without Limits  As the FINE+RARE Group continues to scale, our ambition is clear: to be the world’s definitive fine wine platform, seamlessly blending marketplace liquidity and digital intelligence. With our unparalleled portfolio, proprietary technology and global reach, we are setting a new standard for the future of fine wine trading.  This is just the beginning of an exciting chapter, and we look forward to bringing you on this journey. It has never been a more interesting time to buy and sell wines in this ever-evolving global marketplace. 
  Managing Risk: A Transparent Approach from Day One  We recognize that any platform transformation — particularly one involving legacy systems and historical data — comes with inherent risks. From day one, we have addressed these head-on. Our integration strategy includes rigorous data migration protocols, full system testing, and live-market simulations to ensure continuity of service. Legacy issues, including inconsistencies in portfolio data, valuation records, and trading permissions, have been reviewed in detail and remediated where necessary. For clients, this means minimal disruption and a step-change improvement in accuracy, functionality, and control. We will continue to operate with transparency, offering dedicated support and a direct line to our expert team to resolve any transitional issues swiftly and professionally. Our commitment is clear: to maintain the trust we’ve earned while delivering a seamless upgrade to a smarter, more powerful fine wine experience. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out on feedback@vinfolio.com.  

Since 2022, Vinfolio is part of the FINE+RARE Group, the world’s leading destination for fine wine, offering a global experience where collectors and connoisseurs can discover and acquire sought-after collectables. Here, we explain our platform strategy and the changes coming this April.  

We explain our platform strategy and what changes are coming your way this April.

Redefining the Fine Wine Marketplace for the Future

Of course, the reputation and quality of the wines from this estate long predate the modern-day critics. Prior to the 1855 classification, Château La Mission Haut-Brion was one of the most expensive wines in Bordeaux, second only to its historic neighbour Château Haut-Brion. The two properties are both owned by the Dillon family (Domaine Clarence Dillon) who bought Château Haut-Brion in 1935 and purchased Château La Mission Haut-Brion 48 years later, in 1983. We caught up with Deputy Managing Director Jean-Philippe Delmas and Sales Director Guillaume-Alexandre Marx to find out what makes this Château so special. 
In the vineyard Since taking over the property in 1983 the Dillon family undertook a major effort to upgrade the estate. They initially focused on the vineyards. Substantial investments were made to replant vines on some of the finest gravel soil in Bordeaux. 
Over the years, each and every plot of La Mission Haut-Brion has been replanted with the grape varietal best suited to it. These vines are now an average of 30 years old. The high vine density (10,000 vines per hectare) is conducive to intense wines whose hallmark is their unique charm. Starting with the 1991 vintage, a second red wine was created at La Mission: La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion.  The vines that originally produced the second wine starting in 1991 have since aged, and now
produce a wine of exceptional quality. However, another factor is also of great importance. In 2006, the vineyard of Château La Tour Haut-Brion, another estate belonging to Domaine Clarence Dillon, was integrated into that of La Mission Haut-Brion. Starting with this same vintage, all the grapes from La Tour Haut-Brion’s vineyard, a Classified Growth of Graves in
1953, went into La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion, making the second wine of La Mission a truly fine wine. The Pessac-Leognan terroir
 Wines from the Pessac Leognan have a unique, distinct fired earth, tobacco, spice note that are not found elsewhere on the Left Bank giving the wines an added aromatic complexity. Haut-Brion stands for hillock and the vineyards of both Haut-Brion and Mission Haut-Brion are planted on these raised hillocks with distinct gunzian gravel soils giving the wines good drainage and exposition, as well as retaining the typicity of the aromatic complexity consistent with the Pessac-Leognan region.  The other important elements of Château La Mission Haut-Brion is that they are the first winery to harvest in Bordeaux, picking their Merlot before anyone else in Bordeaux due to the specific climate and exposition at the property.  They typically start to pick the Merlot at the end of August / early September, benefiting from the warmer summer months enabling veraison earlier and avoiding the risk of wetter weather in the latter part of September. Despite the vineyards neighbouring Château Haut-Brion there are distinct differences between the styles of Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion. First the vine density and the positioning of the vines in La Mission Haut-Brion are very different with the vines planted at a density of 10,000 vines per hectare compared to Haut-Brion at 8,000.  The vines at La Mission Haut-Brion are positioned from North to South and therefore the sun exposure is felt much more, heightening the sun’s effect on the wine. La Mission Haut-Brion is therefore more concentrated, has more intensity of flavour and typically riper fruit character compared with Haut-Brion. Haut-Brion is more gentler, more refined style providing potentially greater elegance, and potentially more earthy, savoury terroir
character rather than fruit intensity. Tasting the two together they are so different
and are wonderful contrasts in style despite them being neighbouring vineyards
made by the same team.  La Mission Haut-Brion is also half the size of Haut-Brion in terms of vineyards and production levels. Haut-Brion has 50 hectares under vine and typically produces 100,000 bottles each year. La Mission Haut-Brion has just 25 hectares under vine and produces 50,000 bottles each year. The production on both is a lot smaller compared to the other First Growths of Château Margaux, Lafite, Latour and Mouton Rothschild. In the winery 
A new, ultra-modern vat house was installed, opened to mark the 1987 vintage, followed
by significant renovations to the château, chapel and cellars. In 1996, a new bottling chain was introduced and a new tasting room was built, christened the Chapter Room, in honour of the Lazarists.  In 2007, new cellars were built, plus a tasting room sculpted by the best Italian woodworkers, which now features original engravings by Albrecht Dürer, plus a bottling centre and an improved storage area. However, the jewel in the crown of this major renovation project is a vibrant new tribute to
the Lazarist brothers. Returning to the Frontenac quarries – which in the 18th century supplied the stone for the most beautiful monuments in Bordeaux – the estate chose this material to build the Grand Chai, described as a “modern cathedral to wine".  
The consistency at La Mission Haut-Brion Arguably there is more consistency in quality throughout the vintages in wines from Pessac Leognan, since Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc play distinctive rolls in the region allowing for the assemblage to vary depending on which of the varieties have performed the best in each vintage. In Pauillac for example they are much more reliant on the performance of their Cabernet Sauvignon which makes up typically over 80% of the blend.  The winemaking team is exactly the same at both Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut Brion. The winemaking team at Haut-Brion has in fact been within the same family for three generations of the Delmas family going back to1923. Since 1988 the same team of three– Jean-Philippe Delmas, Jean-Philippe Masclef (Technical Director) and Pascal Baratié (Vineyard Manager) have been making the wines at both properties providing a very consistent style across both
Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion.  Bordeaux today With the global warming effect in the last twenty years tannins are riper and the quantity is
higher. This means the team have to pay more attention on the extraction process than before. They have tried to  maintain the balance and the freshness. The tendency being to shorten the length of maceration. Thanks to the level of ripeness the wines according to Jean-Philippe can drink sooner than before without altering the ageing potential. In fact, the window of accessibility is wider than ever before. The second wine made at Château La Mission Haut-Brion is the highly regarded La Chapelle la Mission Haut-Brion. The grapes are treated exactly the same whether they go into the first or second wine. Each year, the 27 individual parcels at Mission Haut-Brion are vinified separately. The wines are then tasted blind by the team and it is at this point the wines are separated into the Grand Vin and the second wine. All the wines are then typically aged
for 15 to 18 months in barrels with a lower proportion of new oak used in the second wines. The greatest vintages of La Mission Haut-Brion are the ’75 ’98, ’90 and 2000. Guillaume states “They are some of the finest wines I have ever tasted and show the quality of the property at
its best. For me they are the epitome of the La Mission Haut-Brion style. The 1998 La Mission Haut-Brion is drinking beautifully right now.”  Explore all current Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion listings or browse more Editorial 

Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion ranks among Bordeaux’s greatest estates and is often called the King of the Left Bank. Historically, it earned numerous 100-point scores from Robert Parker, making it one of Bordeaux’s most frequently “perfect-scored” châteaux.

Ch. La Mission Haut Brion is one of the greatest Bordeaux wine estates. We explore the wine that has received the most Robert Parker 100-point scores 

Guide to Bordeaux's Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion

Your guide to Château La Mission Haut-Brion

The voice of independence: Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW  After stepping down from the Wine Advocate, this year saw Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW launch her new platform, The Wine Independent. Her first big review was of the 2021 Bordeaux vintage – and she made a mark with it, looking to overhaul the scoring scene today. We caught up with her about the state of wine writing – and why it was time for her to strike out on her own.  Read more  Everything you need to know about Karuizawa  This year saw us dive into some of the spirits industry’s biggest names – with our “Everything you need to know” series looking at The Macallan, The Dalmore and Glenfarclas, as well as Karuizawa. This ghost distillery has become one of whisky’s most exclusive – and elusive – producers. Here we dig into exactly what makes the Japanese icon, and its spirits, so sought after.  Read more  Bordeaux 2021  It’s unsurprising that the latest vintage from Bordeaux was high up the most-read list. The 2021 season was fascinating to delve into – offering our first post-Covid chance to visit most producers, in a year where selection was key. From our first thoughts, full report, breakdown by commune, critics’ round-up and investigation of chaptalisation, you couldn’t get enough of our coverage.  Read all Bordeaux 2021 coverage  Strength in diversity: Cheval Blanc  This year saw Saint-Emilion’s new classification announced, after much public and political division – with Cheval Blanc one of several producers who walked away from the system. We caught up with the property’s Technical Director Pierre-Olivier Clouet about the appellation today – and just what makes it so endlessly exciting.  Read more  The lost wines of Haut-Brion  Pessac-Léognan First Growth Ch. Haut-Brion is one of the world’s most famous producers. It sits at the head of a number of interlinked, illustrious estates owned by the Clarence Dillon family. We dove into the genealogy of the Haut-Brion properties, the wines that were once part of the extended range and where they stand today.  Read more    See what was popular last year or explore more Editorial 

Our team is always on the trail for the most interesting stories in the world of wine and spirits. In 2022, we explored everything from producer histories to the latest vintages released, from interviews with industry icons to essential guides and much, much more – but these were the most popular

The five most popular wine and spirits features we published in 2022 – as chosen by you, from detailed vintage reports to deep-dive interviews

The biggest wine and spirits stories of 2022

The biggest stories of 2022

Transitioning from the world of fine cashmere to viticulture might not seem an obvious move – and yet, for Brunello Cucinelli, wine is another arena to which he can bring new “dignity”.  Cucinelli is a man of humble origins, born in a small Umbrian village in 1953. His family were share-croppers but moved to the city in search of better employment, with his father taking a job at a cement factory. Cucinelli saw his father struggle to make a living, and do so with little respect from those around him – a battle which has defined his work and philosophy.  Despite training as a building surveyor, then studying engineering, Cucinelli ended up working as a showroom model for Ellesse in his early 20s while his girlfriend (and future wife) ran a small boutique. Inspired by this window into the fashion world and the brightly coloured clothes of Benetton, he decided to make a line of similarly vivid cashmere jumpers, launching in 1978, aged 25. Since then, the business has evolved – with muted, neutral tones replacing the lively colours that gave him his break. His clothes are defined by their understatement, the epitome of “quiet luxury”.  Today, the Brunello Cucinelli business is worth €6.3 billion. There is more to Brunello Cucinelli than fine fashion, however, with 20% of the personal profits channelled back into Cucinelli’s charitable foundation. He operates under a philosophy he defines as “humanistic capitalism”, wanting to offer his employees the respect his father didn’t receive and reclaim the value of crafts that might once have been deemed “blue collar”.  A huge part of this is his work in Solomeo, the village that he calls home (and where his wife, Federica, was born). The couple got married there in 1982, making it the company’s headquarters in 1985. Since then, Cucinelli has invested significantly in the tiny, hilltop hamlet, gradually restoring it, and adding his own cultural flourishes – a School of Arts & Crafts, Forum of the Arts, Aurelian Neohumanistic Academy, theatre, amphitheatre, library and more. Over the last 30 years, he has – working with architect Massimo de Vico – transformed the village.  Castello di Solomeo, the winery and vineyard, is the latest addition – but one that has been over a decade in the making. Michele Baiocco – who has been leading the project’s team since 2010 – met Cucinelli playing football. He’d been making wine in Perugia, and the two men met for dinner. Cucinelli asked him if he’d help him “give the agriculture world a new dignity”, and they decided to create a Bordeaux-inspired wine. Together they found the right site for a vineyard in Solomeo, and planted the first vines in 2011.  Cucinelli had always loved Bordeaux, but with Montalcino not too far away, and a wish to make something “typical” for the region, Sangiovese was an obvious addition. Extensive studies were undertaken to create a vineyard with the right soils and exposition. But – take a look at a picture of the vineyard, with its softly curving rows of vines that flow across the property – and it’s clear that this isn’t a standard vineyard.  “The vineyard is like a painting,” says superstar winemaking consultant Riccardo Cotarella, who has been working with the team, especially on the blending process, since the 2018 vintage (the first commercial release). It is “an artist’s way to plant vines”, he explains – one that doesn’t make it any easier to work. Cucinelli’s inspiration, however, was a renaissance garden, and the fact that it forces everything to be done by hand is key to the project, emphasising the craftsmanship of making wine, as well as making a beautiful place for the team to work.   The philosophy in the vineyard is driven by “reason and good sense”, with no chemical pesticides or fertilizer, using grass cover and cover crops. It’s a complex site – with five hectares, spread across four different soil types (more clay rich, more marl, sandier and more calcareous) and divided between four varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese).  Each of the 12 different blocks is vinified separately, something which they feel is key to terroir expression. They only make one wine from the site, and – as Cotarella says – “Working with Brunello [Cucinelli] always means the best quality.” Careful vineyard work is key, and the team has been reducing the production per plant, to focus the vines, encouraging complexity and concentration. Just like Cucinelli’s clothes, this is a wine intended to last.  While Cotarella consults, Pietro Grelloni is the full-time winemaker dedicated to Castello di Solomeo, working alongside Baiocco. Grelloni was born locally and worked with Baiocco, but had travelled the world making wine before returning to Perugia, when Baiocco asked if he’d like to join the Cucinelli project in 2017, just in time for the vintage. It’s clearly a special project to be involved in, but – for Grelloni – it’s the long-term view that sets it apart. “We take care about the year, but we also have to take care of the future,” he says – explaining how it is not just about the vintage that will be harvested this year, but in 100 years’ time. As Cotarella says, “It’s a very special wine, with a very special philosophy.”  Castello di Solomeo is exclusively available from FINE+RARE. The second vintage, 2019, is set to be released this week.

Read anything about Brunello Cucinelli and “dignity” is a word that comes up time and again, woven into the very fabric of the empire he has built. As the fashion icon releases the second vintage of Castello di Solomeo, we explore the philosophy behind the project 

Exploring the cashmere king Brunello Cucinelli’s Umbrian wine project, Castello di Solomeo, and the philosophy that defines it

Made in Solomeo

Made in Solomeo: the stamp of dignity

The benefit of hindsight tells us this story did not end happily ever after, but for the 750
million people tuning in to the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and the Prince of Wales, the day was fit for a fairy-tale complete with gold-encrusted carriage, silk slippers and trumpet fanfares aplenty.   The Champagne of choice? Magnums of Dom Pérignon 1961–  Diana’s birth year and a legendary vintage. The 600 bottles were disgorged in March 1981, just four months before Diana took the long walk down the aisle at St Paul’s cathedral but the quality of this 50/50 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend had long been appreciated: it is the only Champagne to have been awarded six stars by the late Michael Broadbent in his vintage guide – the maximum was five – while sparkling wine expert Tom Stevenson called it “the best Dom Pérignon I have ever tasted”. It wasn’t just Champagne that made wine fit for royalty in 1961. The warm, dry summer produced wines that had the Bordelais salivating from the first crush. In his annual
vintage report, Bordeaux négociant Peter Sichel, said:  “We have no doubts at all about the quality of this vintage. The wines are dark in colour, firm and complete in composition
and classic in flavour…they are great wines ranking with the 1928’s, 1929’s and 1945’s.” Despite the evident quality, there wasn’t much of it to go around: an intense cold spell at
the end of May made a huge dent in yields and this caused massive headaches. Bordeaux was far from wealthy at this time and the sur souche system was still in operation, which meant producers sold part of their crop before a grape had been harvested. It helped with cashflow and kept the bank manager far from the château gates but the system backfired in 1961 when nature turned against the vines: there was hardly any fruit; some châteaux couldn’t fulfil contracts and had to reimburse their customers for failure to supply.  Under the stable ownership of American financier Clarence Dillon, however, there were no such concerns at Château Haut-Brion. Instead, 1961 will be remembered as the “ripe and concentrated” debut vintage for Jean-Bernard Delmas who took over from his father and made the revolutionary step of introducing stainless steel fermentation tanks.  His son Jean-Philippe was handed the winemaking reins in 2004 and explains that the introduction of tanks brought greater precision to Haut-Brion. He tasted the 1961 earlier this year and recalls: “It was powerful, complex, so rich in tannins, ample, fleshy and complete. A pinnacle in quality, slightly similar to our 1989, that can still age and flourish for several decades. 1961 and 1989 are really the best made by my father.” The year 1961 will also be remembered as a killer year for the northern Rhône. Paul Jaboulet Ainé’s Hermitage La Chapelle, a cuvee that takes its name from the pint-sized chapel on top of the Hermitage hill, was lauded by wine critic Robert Parker and played no small part in creating a semi-mythical status. “This is unquestionably one of the greatest wines made in the twentieth century,” he declared. “In the two dozen tastings where I have had the 1961 La Chapelle, I rated it 100 points twenty times,” which would give it a sum total of 2000 Parker points. Heading further south through the Mont Blanc tunnel, the conditions that produced a stunning Rhône season made this the vintage of the decade in Piedmont. It is even a
strong contender for vintage of the century. According to Angelo Gaja, the makers of Barolo and Barbaresco would have to wait until 1970 for a vintage in the same league and then, like buses, they had another the following year (although some would argue the quality of 1967 was in a similar league).  By 1961, the staunch traditional Barolo maker, Bartolo Mascarello, already had 40-odd vintages under his belt and it would prove to be one of the vintages of a lifetime. While fully mature, it continues to drink well, although it’s not one for long-term cellaring at nearly 60 years old.  The late Mascarello’s unwavering commitment to long maceration times and traditional aging in large format Slovenian oak (botti) in the face of a modernist Barolo movement continues under the guardianship of his daughter Maria-Teresa. Fashions have come and gone since Mascarello first made this wine but it’s clear that he knew how to capture the greatness of his sites And if it ain’t broke… Explore more Editorial

In conversation amongst collectors and critics around the world, 1961 is certainly a vintage that piques a lot of interest. It was a vintage that arguably produced some of the finest bottles of the century. In the latest installment in our Vintage Series, we explore the vintage of 1961.

According to collectors and critics around the world, 1961 is a vintage that produced some of the finest bottles of the century. We explore the golden year

Exploring the 1961 vintage globally 

A year in wine: 1961

Bordeaux has several different classification systems. While the Right Bank has only Saint-Emilion’s system (one that is a source of controversy), the Left Bank has a more complex web of rankings.   
The 1855 classification is the gold standard. The most famous and influential of them all, it lists the Left Bank’s very top estates. But beyond this crème de la crème, there are several other systems ranking properties – namely the Graves classification, the Crus Bourgeois and Crus Artisans.  
The Graves classification  
Almost 100 years after the famous 1855 classification, producers in the Graves decided to create their own equivalent. Other than Ch. Haut-Brion, the region’s properties had not been included in the 1855 classification. A draft of the classification was drawn up in 1953, then the official list ratified in 1958, with some changes in 1959.  
The Graves classification is much simpler than the 1855 classification. There is only one tier, with estates declared “Grand Cru Classé de Graves” for white wine, red wine, or both. Sixteen estates in total were defined as the region’s best. Couhins, Couhins-Lurton and Laville Haut-Brion were classified for only their white wines, while Fieuzal, Haut-Bailly, Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Pape-Clément, Smith Haut Lafitte and La Tour Haut-Brion were classified only for their reds.  
Interestingly,. Ch. Haut-Brion is only classified for red, however this is not because its white was not deemed worthy, but because it did not apply for classification, given production of the illustrious wine is so small. It remains one of the region’s highest-rated and most expensive whites. 
Although there have been no changes since 1959, some of the wines are no longer made under the same name. Both part of the Clarence Dillon family, Ch. Laville Haut-Brion is now bottled as Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, while fruit from La Tour Haut-Brion is now used for the second wine of La Mission, La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion (read more about the genealogy of the Haut-Brion estates here).  
The Pessac-Léognan appellation was only introduced in 1987, so some of the wines are bottled under this today.  1959 Graves classification  Ch. Bouscaut (red and white)  Ch. Carbonnieux (red and white)  Domaine de Chevalier (red and white)  Ch. Couhins (white only)  Ch. Couhins-Lurton (white only)  Ch. de Fieuzal (red only)  Ch. Haut-Bailly (red only)  Ch. Haut-Brion (red only, also part of the 1855 classification)  Ch. Latour-Martillac (red and white)  Ch. Laville-Haut-Brion (white only, now the white of La Mission Haut-Brion)  Ch. Malartic-Lagravière (red and white)  Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion (red only)  Ch. Olivier (red and white)  Ch. Pape-Clément (red only)  Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte (red only)  Ch. la Tour-Haut-Brion (red only)  The Crus Bourgeois  The term “Cru Bourgeois” has long been used casually, but it was introduced as a formal classification in 1932. There have been many changes to the classification over the years. There were 444 properties in the original group, many of whom used the term on their labels even though the classification was never officially ratified. In 2003, after three years of debate, the classification was updated and split into three tiers (with Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Exceptionnel added), only to be annulled in 2007, with the term then banned from labels. In 2010, the Cru Bourgeois classification was re-introduced and assigned to wines rather than estates, with their status re-assessed each year, but this too was soon replaced.  
In 2020, a new version of the classification was unveiled, going back to the three tiers of Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. The top rank of “Exceptionnel” includes just 14 estates, with 56 Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs and 179 Crus Bourgeois (adding up to a total 249 properties). The classification is only being assessed every five years, with the next iteration set to be announced in 2025.   
The classification is decided based on the quality and consistency of the wine (assessed via rigorous blind tasting), traceability and authentication, with sustainability encouraged and rewarded. While these wines are not as highly regarded or sought after as those in the 1855 classification, the wines generally offer good value, and all come from the Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Moulis, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. Find the full, current classification on the Crus Bourgeois website. 
The Crus Artisans  
The Left Bank also has the Cru Artisan classification, designed to highlight smaller operations where the manager/owner is involved in every stage of production. The term has been used for over 150 years, however its official meaning was introduced in 1989. The classification was launched in its current guise in 2006, open to estates in the Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Moulis, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. Generally family-owned, properties must grow their own grapes, then make and sell the wines.  
There were 44 Cru Artisan estates in 2006, but the latest classification (unveiled in 2018) included only 36 – with many addresses sold/absorbed by other producers, some retiring, as well as a handful of new names added. The classification is based on a visit to the estate and blind tasting of its wines. On average, Crus Artisans have just 10 hectares of vines. Find the full current classification on the Crus Artisans website. 
Read more about Bordeaux or browse all Bordeaux listings


While the 1855 classification is the most famous and influential classification on the Left Bank, there are several other classifications in operation today. Here’s everything you need to know about Bordeaux’s Graves classification, the Crus Bourgeois and Crus Artisans 

Looking beyond the 1855 classification in Bordeaux: discover everything you need to know about the 1959 Graves, Cru Bourgeois and Cru Artisan classifications

Graves, Cru Bourgeois and Cru Artisan in Bordeaux

Your guide to Bordeaux’s other classifications: Graves, Cru Bourgeois and Cru Artisan

Domaine Billon

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