Critic Notes
The 2015 Haut-Brion Blanc is positively stunning. Among other things, I am absolutely amazed by how fresh and vibrant the 2015 is today. The citrus, floral and mineral notes pulse with tons of energy. Sauvignon Blanc plays the leading role, but the Blanc doesn't really taste like Sauvignon Blanc - it tastes like Haut-Brion Blanc. In that sense, the 2015 is a wine of place first, while the varietal blend does not appear to be that important at all.
Score: 97-/100Antonio GalloniDrinking Window: 2020 - 2050
Composed of 69% Sauvignon Blanc and 31% Semillon, the Haut-Brion 2015 Blanc simply sings with melodious notes of ripe Bosc pears, Golden Delicious apple slices, fresh pineapple and honeyed apricots, providing a highly emotive leitmotif of chalk dust, yuzu zest, shaved almonds and beeswax not to mention the faintest tone of pure lime blossom. The medium to full-bodied palate contributes a compelling steeliness to all those incredible layers, plus a fantastic frame of freshness, finishing with multifaceted mineral and citrus accents. The many tightly wound nuances here as well as the built-like-a-brick-house structure promise to greatly reward the patient over the next 25+ years. Trust me, lovers of this style will be kicking themselves if they don’t purchase a few bottles of this amazing vintage while they can. Feb 2018, www.robertparker.com
Score: 97-/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Dense and very powerful with reserve and seamless phenolic. Full body, sliced apple and lemon rind. So long and flavorful. A beautiful and balanced wine. Undertones of oyster shell and stone. Excellent as always. Mar 2016, www.JamesSuckling.com
Score: 96-97/100James Suckling
An outstanding white. 69% Sauvignon Blanc, 31% Semillon with a pH of 3.14 (the lowest since 2010). This is focused and stunningly aromatic, even though Jean-Philippe Delmas is happy to call this a red wine year for the château. That may be so, but this is a beautiful wine: textured, taut and pointedly searching, with great structure and integrity to the citrus fruit and vertical lift on the finish. Clearly going to age beautifully. 14.3%abv. Apr 2016, Jane Anson, www.Decanter.com, Drink: 2018-2030
Score: 96-/100DecanterDrinking Window: 2018-2030
Among the best white wines of the vintage, as it always is, this white Haut-Brion is as brilliant as it is rare. Broad, leesy and concentrated, this shows some of the heat of the vintage, but is balanced by acidity, structure and freshness. Candle wax, toast and pink grapefruit. Apr 2016, www.timatkin.com, Drink: 2017-2030
Score: 95-/100Tim AtkinDrinking Window: 2017-2030
The 2015 Haut Brion Blanc is a blend of 69% Sauvignon Blanc and 31% Semillon that was picked between 28 August and 7 September. Like the 2015 La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, the bouquet was quite backward despite rigorous aeration, reluctantly proffering aromas of lime, citrus lemon, gooseberry and a touch of tinned peach. The palate is very well balanced with a fine line of acidity, perhaps even more tensile and precise than the 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion with greengage, citrus lemon and a touch of pineapple furnishing the long finish. This is a beautifully crafted Haut Brion Blanc that will reward those with the nous to cellar it for 10-15 years. Apr 2016, www.eRobertParker.com, Drink: 2025-2055
Score: 94-96/100Neal MartinDrinking Window: 2025-2055
Stéphane Derenoncourt. Lively nose and interestingly dry, complex fruit with unusual green notes. But not underripe. Good stuff! Apr 2016, www.JancisRobinson.com, Drink: 2017-2021
Score: 18-/20Jancis RobinsonDrinking Window: 2022-2032
