2010 Haut Brion
Buying options
Tasting notes
Slightly fuller than La Mission and with slightly more pronounced tannin. For us this is on another energetic plane than La Mish and with a mid-palate which is rivalled only by a handful of other 2010s. We fancy this will be approachable relatively early if it doesn't close down but will age effortlessly because of its balace and power for at least 50 years
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeannie Cho Lee MW
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
Deep ruby purple in colour, the Haut-Brion offers a hedonistic nose of cedar, violets, blackberries, blackcurrant, and spices. This is a rich mouth-filling wine that will take at least a decade to come around. Reserved, aristocratic, very dense with velvety tannins and lovely layers of complex flavours, this very classy wine has a finish that just goes on and on. There is not much Merlot compared to other years, but the 20% Cabernet Franc has added spices, herbs and complexity that come through in the finish. A phenomenal wine. Jeannie Cho Lee MW asianpalate.com
Haut-Brion From a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, this unique blend is made from one of the highest concentrations of Cabernet Sauvignon in the history of the property. In 2010, the wine reached 14.6% alcohol with a pH of 3.63. This combination allows for more ripeness as well as greater freshness. The effective yields are lower in 2010. Only 42% of the crop was included in the Grand Vin. For those that like statistics, 2009 Haut Brion is slightly lower in alcohol at 14.2 % alcohol with a pH of 3.9. . 2010 Chateau Haut Brion is deep ruby with a purple rim that shines in the glass. The wine is filled with smoke, earth, hot stones, spice, blackberry, cassis and hints of licorice. Full bodied and concentrated with multiple layers of spicy, fresh, rich dark fruit and cassis flavors that fill your palate, this elegant, regal wine builds in the mouth. From the first touch on your palate, it?s difficult to imagine the incredible length found in this wine. I timed the finish twice to make sure I had not lost track of the time. I shook my watch to ensure it was running correctly. This incredible wine remains on your palate for close to 80 seconds! Balanced, harmonious and regal, this will be an amazing wine to experience at maturity. 98-100 Pts Jeff Leve winecellarinsider.com
A light perfume of lavender and forest fruits leads to a very well-balanced body of complex flavours with heavy tannins, concealing the highest ever natural alcohol for this wine at 14.6%. The 2009 was 14.3%. and will fill 10,500 cases, while the 2010 will fill 7,800.Though it will need ten years of cellaring, its peak for drinking may be half a century away. Ivor Davies
About the producer
Ch. Haut-Brion is the only classified growth in Pessac-Léognan. One of the five First Growths, it is renowned for producing both exceptional reds and whites. Along with its sister estate, Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, it is part of the Clarence Dillon stable.