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  • Country ranking ?

    135
  • Producer ranking ?

    14
  • Decanting time

    4h
  • When to drink

    from 2025
  • Food Pairing

    roast lamb served medium-rare

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate / The 2016 Haut-Brion is blended of 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is at once profound and arresting, offering drop-dead gorgeous Morello cherries, lilacs and red rose scents with a core of Black Forest cake, warm blackcurrants and blueberry preserves plus wafts of sandalwood and underbrush. Medium-bodied, the elegantly crafted palate is completely packed with intense floral, mineral and cassis-laced flavors with a firm frame of very finely pixelated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and achingly stunning. 100 points

 

Decanter

This has a little more reticence initially on the nose than La Mission, but after a few minutes the rich texture begins to reveal itself, with charcoal, tobacco, dark plum and damson fruits that are straining at the leash. It has hidden power and subtle oak toasting - this clearly feels no need to shout about its presence, but there will be plenty to discover over time. You can feel those tannins licking around your teeth, building up one layer at a time. A great wine En primeur that has settled into greatness. 100 points

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The Story

Château Haut-Brion is the oldest and by far the smallest of the "Premiers Grands Crus" vineyards of the Gironde 1855 classification. Château Haut-Brion is one of the few remaining family-owned domains of the Bordeaux region with a history going back to the 16th century. It has been owned by the American Dillon family since 1935.

 

There is an amazing dual hit of black fruit and fine-grained tannins here, which is rounded off with a wonderful creaminess. The fruit is encased in a huge structure, which is not always easy to assess when tasting en primeur, but it has a lovely fleshiness to it and the wine is multi-layered with flavours evolving in the mouth. Notes of cocoa, vanilla and tar show towards the finish and it all ends completely seamlessly. The tannins are extremely ripe and well-integrated. Ch. Haut-Brion is often understated at this stage, which serves to underline how fine this wine will be.

 

Château Haut-Brion Thomas Jefferson, the american ambassador to Paris and later President of the United States of America, visited Haut Brion on May 25th 1787 commenting in his journals about the soils of the vineyards as well as mentioning that there were four vineyards of first quality Château Margaux, Château Latour Ségur, Château Haut Brion and Château La Fite. He also wrote:"Haut Brion is a wine of the first rank and seems to please the American palate more than all the others that I have been able to taste in France.“ Jean de Pontac began constituting the Haut-Brion vineyard, in the Graves region, in 1525.

 

His descendants went on to produce "New French Claret," the precursor of today's great wines. Their efforts enabled Arnaud III de Pontac to sell his wine under the estate's name as early as 1660. Called “vin de Pontac”, then Haut-Brion, it gained a fine reputation and enormous success in London. The first of the Bordeaux great growths was born. Through the centuries, the owners and managers of Haut-Brion have been obsessed with perpetuating the château's reputation for quality. Classified a First Growth in 1855, Haut-Brion has done everything possible ever since then to maintain its standing. To perpetuate its Grand Cru status, an estate and its constituent parts have to be maintained over the centuries, suitable grape varieties for each plot have to be chosen, and a relentless selection process carried out. Today, a great American family, the Dillons, has been continuing this tradition for seventy years.

 

 

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Wine Information

Despite a winter and a spring marked by complicated climatic conditions – abundant rain and temperatures below seasonal averages – flowering took place with an almost miraculous homogeneity. The great drought of the summer ended with a rainy season in mid-September that was very beneficial for the end of the maturity cycle. In October, no rain came to disrupt our harvest. The freshness of the nights, combined with the warm days, allowed to develop wines rich in color but also fresh and fruity. Paradox or miracle of nature? We would rather think it is the combination of human effort and, in particular, once again, the exceptional terroir.


Blend:

– Merlot: 56%
– Cabernet Franc: 6.5%
– Cabernet Sauvignon: 37.5%

Tasting notes

Bright red with garnet-red and purple highlights. The nose is very expressive and complex: a combination of red and black fruit, violets, etc., plus a remarkable impression of freshness! The wine starts out full-bodied and juicy on the palate, then develops with incredible refinement, showing rich tannin and plenty of volume, but no aggressiveness. The wine is broad-based and thick, but not heavy. Not a hair out of place, nothing to excess. And what a flavour!!! This Haut-Brion is undoubtedly one of the château’s greatest successes.

 

 

 

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Vintage 2016

Bordeaux 2016 in review “A paradox”

by Andrew Caillard MW

The 2016 Bordeaux vintage will be remembered as one of the great years of the 21st century. I haven't been this excited about the prospects of wines this young since the remarkable 2009 and 2010 vintages. At that time, China was at the zenith of its extraordinary rise of fine wines where the highest estates, particularly Château Lafite , had become a backwater currency. Each man and his dog, with a connection to the government, curry favor or accept gifts with the Grand Cru Bordeaux, particularly the Premiers Crus. During this extraordinary period, Bordeaux prices began to rise at a faster rate than Sydney Real Estate. During the filming of Red Obsession in 2011, the Bordeaux wine market had become a classic bubble, even if the main actors still believed otherwise. Self-reliance and denial always go hand in hand. Nonetheless, it took five years for the market to reset. Bordeaux is more confident again. Even China's interest has increased again. The market today is around 280 million euros per year, which illustrates the resilience, power and track record of Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé wines.

 

The 2016 Primeurs are also very different from previous years. There is a changing of the guard with new generations beginning to make their mark at all levels of the industry and wine production. Philippe Bascaules returned from California to Ch Margaux. Eduard Moueix of JP Moueix is clearly on the rise, and the owners of Ch Angelus have passed on their duties to the next generation. This energy, this renewal and this enthusiasm are great for Bordeaux. Chateau owners, winemakers and business leaders seem to be more enlightened and interested in the world around them, even Australia.

 

This very contemporary and sparkling 2016 vintage seems to reflect the freshness and dynamism of a new era of wine. Even Château Pavie, once the poster child of the Robert Parker era, has raised the white flag. Its long alliance with overly sweet sweet wine is over, it seems. The 2016 versus the 2015 is like comparing a racehorse to a sloth, although vintage conditions would normally land on something similar in style. The affable consultant oenologist Michel Rolland, great master of the aesthetics of taste, has clearly evolved with the times. There is no longer a clear individual to impress.

Nevertheless, with Robert Parker now quite far from the scene, there seems to be a merry-go-round of position among ambitious American wine critics in particular. Hard-working James Suckling and James Molesworth of Wine Spectator, like the horses of the apocalypse, have already walked through the starting gates and made their prophecies known to the world. Everything points to an early campaign, but it will likely last forever, such is the tactical perspective and hierarchical nature of this beast.

It's worth putting everything in context. Primeur tasting generally takes place after the end of the malolactic fermentation of the wines. Tasting earlier could in theory compromise or distort the opinion. This is arguably a growing problem with leading wine writers trying to outdo each other. However, it doesn't take a genius to understand the quality of a very good vintage. Color, aromatic complexity, concentration, tannin quality, oak and acidities are key elements and we are all looking for a patterned balance, an individual voice or something to believe in . With so many wines, the nuances can be infinitesimal, certainly from a linguistic point of view, and therefore difficult to really differentiate. An understanding of the winemaking house's background, style and sub-regional characteristics also helps to provide an overall impression. Cultural references, experience, language, personal loyalties, etc. will also give rise to divergent opinions. Fear of not doing things well could also be a factor. And of course there is the 1855 classification, which may have a moderating effect. For example, would a wine critic dare to give a fifth growth a higher score than a first growth?

  • Pomerol
    Olivier Berouet of Ch Petrus describes 2016 as “a vintage that can only be compared to itself”. Clay substrates played an important role in maintaining sufficient soil moisture. Typically, the wines are round, supple and richly flavored with beautiful aromatic complexity, fine and abundant tannins, superb fruit definition and mineral length. The wines have incredible dimension and balance. Vieux Château Certan is in a league of its own with its very clear inimitable house style and luxurious quality. Ch Petrus, Ch Lafleur, Ch Lafleur Petrus, Ch Latour a Pomerol, Ch L’Evangile and Ch La Conseillante are adorable.

    St Emilion
    St Emilion wines are quite varied but many have a dark inky quality with superb pastry fruits and fine chalky textures. Ch Cheval Blanc is very impressive this year and is clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Ch Figeac is slightly more vigorous than its neighbor, but it has produced one of the best wines in twenty years, probably due to the high proportions of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ch Pavie is also impressive and it's just great to see this legendary brand producing a wine consistent with its status. Ch Pavie Macquin, Ch Pavie Decesse, Ch Canon, Ch Tertre Rotebeouf and Ch Troplong Mondot are all worth seeking out

    Sauternes Barsac
    The dry growing season allowed the Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc to reach full maturity, but the lack of rain was not encouraging. When it finally fell on September 13, the humidity in the vines began to encourage botrytis cinerea (noble rot). Further rain on September 30 and a very useful soaking on October 10 ensured a normal vintage. The results are mixed, but the best estates all produced very good wines. Ch d’Yquem is quite classic but will not be released during this en-primeur campaign. Ch Caillou, Ch Climens, Ch Coutet, de Myrat, Ch Doisy Daene, Ch Guiraud and Ch Lafaurie Peyreguey, Ch Rieussec and Ch Sigalas Rabaud have all made very good wines.

    Dry white Bordeaux
    The region's dry white wines are also generally very good. The fruit has developed very good maturity and many have a very clear lemony curd, sometimes tropical fruit flavors, flint/yeast complexity and very good natural acidities. Many feel quite polished and taught. Ch Haut Brion Blanc and Ch La Mission Haut Brion Blanc are wonderful but what a price for the experience. Ch Pape Clément and Ch Smith Haut Lafitte also made very beautiful wines. The White Pavilion of Ch Margaux is also worth the detour.

     

    2016 BORDEAUX: WINEGROOM OPINION

    2016 will offer the first fully organic Château Latour, and if the positive – almost bullish – rumblings from Bordeaux are to be believed, there will be a lot more excitement to follow:

    “The grapes are already very 'tasty' and the analytical readings are at a good level, improving day by day. We are very confident! » – Guinaudeau family, Lafleur

     

    “Deep vintage...If I'm right, they will age forever. » – Thomas Duroux, Palmer

     

    “We had perfect weather conditions throughout the harvest. No rain, sunny days, cool nights. We were therefore able to wait for perfect phenolic maturity. » – Pierre Graffeuille, Léoville Las Cases

     

    “The wines have a more sober character than in 2009. For me, it is closer to 2010 although a little lower in acidity. In some cases, it is better than in 2015, certainly more so even across the region. » – Hubert de Boüard, Angélus

     

    “It is a vintage with good maturity at the harvest, giving us very beautiful raw material, but with a distinguished structure. » – Bruno Rolland, Léoville Las Cases

     

    “The fact is that dry vintages are still quality vintages. » – Kees Van Leeuwen, White Horse

     

    “The 2016 vintage is a bigger style than 2015. I tasted them side by side. In 2016, the acidity is higher. » – Jean-Christophe Mau, Brown

     

    “The concentration in the grapes this vintage was incredible. » – Jean-Michel Comme, Pontet-Canet

     

    “It’s clearly a great vintage... between 2005 and 2009 in style. » – Philippe Dhalluin, Mouton Rothschild

 

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Tasting note

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Written Notes

As to the reds, the 2016 Haut Brion is a prodigious, legendary wine in the making, although it’s not for those seeking instant gratification. Deeper colored and more concentrated than the La Mission Haut Brion, it reveals a purple/ruby color as well as a sensational bouquet of blackcurrants, cassis, cigar tobacco, cold fireplace, violets, and lead pencil. Deep, masculine, structured, and mineral-laced, it has a stacked mid-palate, full-bodied richness, building tannins, and a firm, blockbuster styled finish that lasts for close to a minute. A wine for the ages, don’t even think about opening bottles for at least 7-8 years. It should keep for half a century. The blend in 2016 is 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6.5% Cabernet Franc.
Rating: 98+

  • 98p

2016 Haut Brion - The nose, with its knockout sensations of smoke, mint, cigar wrapper, tobacco and crème de cassis is off the hook. For many wine-lovers that would be enough. But for me, it is the elegance, concentration, complexity, endless length and sensuous textures that hits the bullseye. This is one of those dream wines that if you can afford it, it belongs in your cellar! 100 Pts

  • 100p

Even deeper colour than La Mission. Broad and spicy and very rich and a compote of warm bricks. (La Mission is more muscular and obviously tannic.) Firm and not over the top. Prances. Transparent and very much Haut-Brion.

  • 96p

Deep colour. Fresh elderberry, cassis aromas, with vanilla oak notes. Richly Dense with voluminous black currant blackberry fruits with cedar oak notes and lovely chocolaty mid-palate textures. All still elemental and unevolved but in symmetry. Finishes gravelly and long. Tasted at Ch Haut Brion. 96 points

  • 96p

Ruby. Dark fruity, ripe, rich, blueberries, tight, blackberries, some violets and floral notes, exotic spices, layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries and spices, nuanced, deep, rich yet not sweet or lush, has grace but also restraint to it now, stunning length. 96-98

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Information

Origin

Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Very good

Investment potential

Good

Fake factory

None

Other wines from this producer

Château Haut-Brion Blanc

La Clarté de Haut-Brion

Le Clarence de Haut-Brion

Plantiers de Haut-Brion

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