1988 Haut Brion Blanc
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Tasting notes
The 1988 Haut Brion Blanc is a vintage that I have not encountered since 2006. Here, served blind, I find this to be an enjoyable wine but one that does not match the reputation (or indeed the market price) that Haut Brion Blanc enjoys. It has a clear, youthful colour. For a moment it almost comes across as a white Burgundy before the Sauvignon Blanc takes over to offer grilled walnut, almond, beeswax and lanolin aromas. The palate is certainly concentrated although it does not possess the thrilling tension of the 1985 Haut Brion Blanc, as one example. There is a heaviness to this white Pessac-Léognan that compromises the precision although you can still sit back and wallow in the viscous, lightly honeyed finish with just a faint tang of ginger on the aftertaste. Tasted blind at Olivier Bernard' "8" dinner.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 1988 is tightly knit, with a reticent but light-intensity bouquet of minerals, lemons, figs, and melons. This tightly structured, relatively high acid Haut-Brion Blanc will no doubt prove to be a long-distance runner, but how much pleasure and character will evolve remains difficult to assess. Anticipated maturity: Now-2005. Last tasted, 4/91.
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.