Appellations

Haut Brion 2017

Pessac-Leognan, First Growth

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Tasting Notes

The 2017 Haut-Brion was picked from 31 August to 29 September, the longest harvest ever, matured in 69% new oak with 14.25% alcohol (lower than recent vintages.) It has a more generous bouquet than the La Mission Haut-Brion at this point: black cherries, blueberry, a little confit fruit, hints of warm gravel and clove. It is much more restrained than the previous vintages – cooler and linear. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, nicely structured with more grip in the mouth than the La Mission. What it has in common with the aforementioned is a sense of symmetry. It feels very persistent with a light marine/oyster shell influence on the finish. This probably has the edge over the La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment, but intra-family competitiveness aside, it boils down to a great follow-up to the brilliant 2015 and 2016.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2050 Date: 01 May 2018

The 2017 Haut-Brion is intriguing. Less powerful and explosive than it can be, in 2017 Haut-Brion makes its case with persistence over heft. Time in the glass brings out attractive suggestions of tobacco, game, bacon fat, iron and wild cherry. It will be interesting to see where the 2017 goes from here. Today, it lacks the visceral thrill that makes the best vintages utterly irresistible, even if the phenomenally long finish is a thing of real beauty. The blend is 53% Merlot, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.3% Cabernet Franc.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Date: 01 May 2018

Composed of 53% Merlot, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.3% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2017 Haut-Brion is a little closed on the nose, revealing fresh blackberries, black currants and dark chocolate with suggestions of pencil shavings, beef drippings, tilled soil and cracked black pepper plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it has very firm, ripe, grainy tannins and a lively backbone structuring the tightly knit earth and black fruit layers, finishing with compelling mineral and perfumed layers.

Score: 95 - 97 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Date: 27 April 2018

Colour of black cherries with healthy crimson rim. Warm oak spice over cool dark fruit. Succulent, mouth-watering and so supple. There's a core of pure black fruit and an elegance in both non-sweet fruit and fine-boned structure but all with a discreet generosity. Needs time to meld but it's magnetic in its attraction. Perhaps a little less rich than La Mission but more intense and persistent at this stage. (17.5+ Points)

Score: 17 - 18 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2027-2047 Date: 25 April 2018

The top wine, and unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, the 2017 Haut Brion checks in as 53% Merlot, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It’s cut from the same cloth as the Le Clarence de Haut Brion, only with the intensity, richness, and structure turned up. Cold fireplace, smoked earth, black currants, and truffle notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, dense, concentrated and surprisingly structured 2017 that stays perfectly balanced and elegant on the palate. It doesn’t have the sheer breadth of the 2015 and 2016, yet is classic Haut Brion all the way. It should match or exceed the 2014. (94-96+)

Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 23 April 2018

A tight and focused red with dark-berry, chocolate and hazelnut character. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a linear and fine finish. Very refined. Elegant and balanced.

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 06 April 2018

The 2017 Haut-Brion grand vin is a 53 percent Merlot, 41 Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 Cabernet Franc blend representing just 45 percent of the crop. It shows a bit more refinement than La Miss (as usual), with equal weight, depth and drive to the mix of warm plum cake, black currant and raspberry puree flavors. The singed apple wood frame is better integrated already and a long swath of smoldering tobacco flows through the finish. It has lots of latent grip and is seriously long, with better definition (at this point) than the La Mission. Now having tasted all five of the first-growths on the Left Bank, I would give the early edge to Lafite and Haut-Brion.

Score: - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Date: 04 April 2018

A hugely captivating wine, one of the contenders for red of the vintage. There's an incredible plush, dense texture to the fruit here, with just the slightest pulling back on the final section that suggests the damson, cassis and black cherry fruit is not at the full extent of ripeness seen in 2016 and 2015, but there is absolutely no question that this is a successful, rich and well-expressed wine. It's extremely powerful and well constructed, with great tannins and a succulence which grows through the palate. 3.73pH.

Score: 97 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2042 Date: 01 April 2018