Haut Brion 2021

Pessac-Leognan, First Growth

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Tasting Notes
Stricter than the Mission at this early stage, with clear distiction, well balanced with grip and confidence, smoked black pepper, cloves, fennel, slate, rose stems, blackberry and cassis fruit, sculpted and concentrated. Exceptionally impressive with a clear rise from start to finish of the palate, building layers that will take it through the decades, and this is a wine to look forward to enjoying over decades to come. Harvest September 13 to October 8, with no Petit Verdot used this year. 73% new oak. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 02 April 2024
The 2021 Haut-Brion is an excellent wine. Despite its mid-weight structure, the 2021 possesses notable dynamic energy and layers of complexity that build with time in the glass. Scorched earth, leather, tobacco, incense, licorice and dried herbs are some of the many notes that open with aeration. The 2021 is a quiet, understated Haut-Brion, but all its signatures are present. Today, the it is not quite as showy as it was en primeur, but it is a fine effort nonetheless. Score: 94 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2031-2061 27 February 2024
The 2021 Haut-Brion has a very pure bouquet, quite complex with a mixture of blueberry and black cherry fruit, iris flower and violet, hints of sea spray in the background. This is more engaging than the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, good fruit concentration considering the vintage, commendable salinity and a harmonious, sapid finish that is classic in style. I suspect this may well close down for a period of time before re-opening. Excellent. Score: 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065 22 February 2024
Bright crimson-purple. Fragrant berry-fruit notes as the wine opens. Smooth and refined on attack, the mid palate full and generous swathing powerful but integrated tannins. Impressive length and drive. Quite a powerhouse for such a complicated year. Huge potential. Score: 18 James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2032-2055 11 May 2022
A very structured young Haut-Brion with blackberry, blackcurrant, black-olive and mushroom character. Medium to full-bodied with a driving balance of firm and ripe tannins and gorgeous fruit. 50.3% merlot, 38% cabernet sauvignon and 11.7% cabernet franc. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 May 2022
A candidate for the title of wine of the vintage, the 2021 Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass with aromas of rich red and black fruit mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, licorice, black truffles, loamy soil and burning embers. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's elegant and multidimensional, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ultra-refined tannins. Combining the classical proportions of the vintages of two decades ago with the viticultural and winemaking of today, it's a timeless classic in the making, but it's difficult to find an obvious analogy with an older vintage. When pressed, Jean-Philippe Delmas suggests a superior version of the 2014 vintage, and to me, a more concentrated, serious version of the 2012 vintage also comes to mind. What is clear, however, is that this is one of the real high points of 2021. The blend is 50% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc, and it attained 13.8% alcohol—a percentage point or so lower than in 2020 or 2019. Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 29 April 2022
As with the Clarence, the 2021 Château Haut-Brion is a darker, richer, more powerful wine. Currants, smoked black cherries, graphite, chocolate, and tobacco notes all define the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a straight, focused, beautifully precise mouthfeel, gorgeous yet substantial tannins, and a great finish. It's going to hit maturity in 7-8 years and have 30 years of longevity or more. The 2021 is mostly Merlot, checking in as 50.3% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.7% Cabernet Franc, hitting 13.8% alcohol and resting in 73% new French oak. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 06 February 2022

Tasting Notes

Stricter than the Mission at this early stage, with clear distiction, well balanced with grip and confidence, smoked black pepper, cloves, fennel, slate, rose stems, blackberry and cassis fruit, sculpted and concentrated. Exceptionally impressive with a clear rise from start to finish of the palate, building layers that will take it through the decades, and this is a wine to look forward to enjoying over decades to come. Harvest September 13 to October 8, with no Petit Verdot used this year. 73% new oak.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 02 April 2024

The 2021 Haut-Brion is an excellent wine. Despite its mid-weight structure, the 2021 possesses notable dynamic energy and layers of complexity that build with time in the glass. Scorched earth, leather, tobacco, incense, licorice and dried herbs are some of the many notes that open with aeration. The 2021 is a quiet, understated Haut-Brion, but all its signatures are present. Today, the it is not quite as showy as it was en primeur, but it is a fine effort nonetheless.

Score: 94

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2031-2061 27 February 2024

The 2021 Haut-Brion has a very pure bouquet, quite complex with a mixture of blueberry and black cherry fruit, iris flower and violet, hints of sea spray in the background. This is more engaging than the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, good fruit concentration considering the vintage, commendable salinity and a harmonious, sapid finish that is classic in style. I suspect this may well close down for a period of time before re-opening. Excellent.

Score: 95

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065 22 February 2024

Bright crimson-purple. Fragrant berry-fruit notes as the wine opens. Smooth and refined on attack, the mid palate full and generous swathing powerful but integrated tannins. Impressive length and drive. Quite a powerhouse for such a complicated year. Huge potential.

Score: 18

James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2032-2055 11 May 2022

A very structured young Haut-Brion with blackberry, blackcurrant, black-olive and mushroom character. Medium to full-bodied with a driving balance of firm and ripe tannins and gorgeous fruit. 50.3% merlot, 38% cabernet sauvignon and 11.7% cabernet franc.

Score: 97 - 98

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 01 May 2022

A candidate for the title of wine of the vintage, the 2021 Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass with aromas of rich red and black fruit mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, licorice, black truffles, loamy soil and burning embers. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's elegant and multidimensional, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ultra-refined tannins. Combining the classical proportions of the vintages of two decades ago with the viticultural and winemaking of today, it's a timeless classic in the making, but it's difficult to find an obvious analogy with an older vintage. When pressed, Jean-Philippe Delmas suggests a superior version of the 2014 vintage, and to me, a more concentrated, serious version of the 2012 vintage also comes to mind. What is clear, however, is that this is one of the real high points of 2021. The blend is 50% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc, and it attained 13.8% alcohol—a percentage point or so lower than in 2020 or 2019.

Score: 96 - 98

William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 29 April 2022

As with the Clarence, the 2021 Château Haut-Brion is a darker, richer, more powerful wine. Currants, smoked black cherries, graphite, chocolate, and tobacco notes all define the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a straight, focused, beautifully precise mouthfeel, gorgeous yet substantial tannins, and a great finish. It's going to hit maturity in 7-8 years and have 30 years of longevity or more. The 2021 is mostly Merlot, checking in as 50.3% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.7% Cabernet Franc, hitting 13.8% alcohol and resting in 73% new French oak.

Score: 95 - 97

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 06 February 2022

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