2024 Haut Marbuzet

A blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2024 Haut-Marbuzet shows a more reserved and austere character than in recent vintages. It opens with aromas of dark berries, flowers and subtle spices. Medium-bodied, the wine is juicy and supple, driven by tangy acidity and framed by firm tannins that lead to a compact, somewhat short finish. Hailstorms significantly impacted the Marbuzet plateau, and the damage is evident in the diminished quality and concentration of this year’s wine.

An old school estate in an old school year, deep ruby colour, good depth through the palate, and the aromatics are a little leafy but with concentration, tannic structure, and you can imagine that it will soften and elongate over ageing. One to watch. Harvest from September 5, Henri Duboscq is still very much in charge, even though his son Bruno does most of the day to day work.

The 2024 Haut-Marbuzet is a bit awkward. The aromatics are unfocused and the contours are angular. There's good depth of fruit and brightness underlying it all, but also a metallic edge that is impossible to look past. It will be interesting to see if the 2024 comes together. The undated samples tasted a week apart do not reflect well on the chateau, one whose wines I have long admired. Tasted two times.