Haut Brion 2012

Pessac-Leognan, First Growth

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Tasting Notes
Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting, the 2012 Haut-Brion has an open and generous bouquet with blackcurrant pastille, cassis and briary aromas the exude very pure Merlot. The palate is medium-bodied with a sumptuous opening that is rare in 2012: rounded and generous, caressing in the mouth with black plum and blackcurrant towards the finish, residues of truffle and white pepper lingering on the aftertaste that turn very savory after 15 minutes bacon fat or Italian cured meats. There is a lot to love about this Haut-Brion although in this blind showing I scored it the same as La Mission Haut-Brion. Who will stick their neck out as the two wines mature? Tasted January 2016. (96+) Score: 96 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2022-2055 28 October 2016
The proportion of merlot in this Haut-Brion blend is one of the highest ever, and it gives a softness and sumptuous character seldom seen in a young wine from here. Loads of ripe fruit, stone and wet earth character. Drink or hold Score: 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 June 2015
Amazing aromas of wet stones, earth, currants and berries. Subtle and complex. Full body and a beautiful core of ripe fruit on the palate and the finish. Round, light, chewy tannins. Needs at least four or five years to open. This is the most merlot ever in Haut-Brion. Rich too. One of the wines of the vintage. 65.5% merlot, 32.5% cabernet sauvignon and 25 cabernet franc. Better in 2020. Score: 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2020+ 15 February 2015
This is fabulous for the vintage with a super long finish of ultra-fine tannins. Full and racy with a wonderful texture. This is the most Merlot ever in Haut-Brion. Rich too. One of the wines of the vintage. 65.5% Merlot, 32.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 04 April 2013
The 2012 Haut Brion (65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc) is certainly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage, with a dense purple color, classic nose of crushed rock, lead pencil shavings, black raspberry, blueberry and flowers. The wine shows subtle barbecue smoke notes in the background, but is full-bodied, stunningly concentrated and builds incrementally, yet finishes with luxurious, almost extravagant amounts of fruit and intensity. From only 46% of the production, this is an absolutely remarkable effort from the Dillon family and their winemaking team of the two Jean-Philippes. Drink it over the next 30-40 years. Score: 98 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2015-2055 01 April 2015
The 2012 Haut-Brion, which represents only 46% of the production, is a blend of 65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. One of the stars of the vintage, it is a complete, medium to full-bodied, soft, round, atypically accessible effort displaying lots of minerality along with red and black fruits, exceptional fragrance and purity, a fleshy mid-palate and a long finish. A remarkable fact in both these wines is that the alcohol levels in 2012 hit 14.8%, which nearly equals the record levels achieved in 2010 - that’s astonishing! This 2012 should drink well 3-4 years after bottling, and last for 20-25 years. Score: 93 - 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2041 26 April 2013
65.5% Merlot, 32.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Much less aromatic than La Mission. Dense and dark. Rich and sumptuous. Some spiciness. Very broad and rich. Very grand. And easy to see where it comes from and how it will proceed. Very pure. Much more forward than La Mission. Zesty but with grandeur and great persistence. Score: 18 - 19 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2022-2045 19 April 2013
Plush for the vintage, with a lovely, caressing feel and lots of steeped plum, anise and blackberry fruit. Displays a lacing of tar through the finish, revealing a graceful tug of earth. Tasted non-blind. Score: 93 - 96 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 08 April 2013

Tasting Notes

Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting, the 2012 Haut-Brion has an open and generous bouquet with blackcurrant pastille, cassis and briary aromas the exude very pure Merlot. The palate is medium-bodied with a sumptuous opening that is rare in 2012: rounded and generous, caressing in the mouth with black plum and blackcurrant towards the finish, residues of truffle and white pepper lingering on the aftertaste that turn very savory after 15 minutes bacon fat or Italian cured meats. There is a lot to love about this Haut-Brion although in this blind showing I scored it the same as La Mission Haut-Brion. Who will stick their neck out as the two wines mature? Tasted January 2016. (96+)

Score: 96

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2022-2055 28 October 2016

The proportion of merlot in this Haut-Brion blend is one of the highest ever, and it gives a softness and sumptuous character seldom seen in a young wine from here. Loads of ripe fruit, stone and wet earth character. Drink or hold

Score: 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 June 2015

Amazing aromas of wet stones, earth, currants and berries. Subtle and complex. Full body and a beautiful core of ripe fruit on the palate and the finish. Round, light, chewy tannins. Needs at least four or five years to open. This is the most merlot ever in Haut-Brion. Rich too. One of the wines of the vintage. 65.5% merlot, 32.5% cabernet sauvignon and 25 cabernet franc. Better in 2020.

Score: 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2020+ 15 February 2015

This is fabulous for the vintage with a super long finish of ultra-fine tannins. Full and racy with a wonderful texture. This is the most Merlot ever in Haut-Brion. Rich too. One of the wines of the vintage. 65.5% Merlot, 32.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Score: 95 - 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 04 April 2013

The 2012 Haut Brion (65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc) is certainly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage, with a dense purple color, classic nose of crushed rock, lead pencil shavings, black raspberry, blueberry and flowers. The wine shows subtle barbecue smoke notes in the background, but is full-bodied, stunningly concentrated and builds incrementally, yet finishes with luxurious, almost extravagant amounts of fruit and intensity. From only 46% of the production, this is an absolutely remarkable effort from the Dillon family and their winemaking team of the two Jean-Philippes. Drink it over the next 30-40 years.

Score: 98

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2015-2055 01 April 2015

The 2012 Haut-Brion, which represents only 46% of the production, is a blend of 65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. One of the stars of the vintage, it is a complete, medium to full-bodied, soft, round, atypically accessible effort displaying lots of minerality along with red and black fruits, exceptional fragrance and purity, a fleshy mid-palate and a long finish. A remarkable fact in both these wines is that the alcohol levels in 2012 hit 14.8%, which nearly equals the record levels achieved in 2010 - that’s astonishing! This 2012 should drink well 3-4 years after bottling, and last for 20-25 years.

Score: 93 - 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2041 26 April 2013

65.5% Merlot, 32.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Much less aromatic than La Mission. Dense and dark. Rich and sumptuous. Some spiciness. Very broad and rich. Very grand. And easy to see where it comes from and how it will proceed. Very pure. Much more forward than La Mission. Zesty but with grandeur and great persistence.

Score: 18 - 19

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2022-2045 19 April 2013

Plush for the vintage, with a lovely, caressing feel and lots of steeped plum, anise and blackberry fruit. Displays a lacing of tar through the finish, revealing a graceful tug of earth. Tasted non-blind.

Score: 93 - 96

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 08 April 2013

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