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  • Country ranking ?

    1 201
  • Producer ranking ?

    83
  • Decanting time

    5h
  • When to drink

    now to 2040
  • Food Pairing

    Lamb Stew with Spring Vegetables

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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 wonde...

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Wine Information

A VERY GOOD YEAR 2003
The harvest had shown high sugar levels.Tannic richness is vast, reaching record levels in the Merlots and above all the Cabernets. The lush tannins are also extremely ripe. They are copious, silky, and smooth, filling the mouth and coating the palate with delight. Strangely, the crispness of the fruit usually fades in such conditions. Nothing could be further from the truth in 2003. The wine has retained a highly discer...

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Vintage 2003

2003 was the hottest vintage ever seen in Bordeaux. The most successful châteaux have passed their exceptional 2000s and some claim to have made their greatest wines in living memory.

Very dry and extremely hot summer days and nights (16 days > 95°F compared to 2 in 2000, 6 in 2005, 4 in 2009). Need to eliminate the superscript here. I can't figure out how to do it.) The deeply colored reds, low acidities and high tannins are a departure fr...

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Tasting note

ending

Long, Round and Flavorful

flavors

Blackberry, Blackcurrant, New-oak and Spice

nose

Intense and Ripe

taste

Average in Acidity, Medium tannin, Balanced, Concentrated and Silky tannins

Verdict

Impressive

Written Notes

Tasted twice - last time in August 2007. Consistent notes. Haut Brion came up with a stunning wine, packed with blackcurrants, tobacco and chocolate, intense and concentrated. There was not even a trace of overheated fruit or jammy character in this wine. 2015-2030.
  • 95p
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Information

Origin

Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Good

Fake factory

Be Cautious

Other wines from this producer

Château Haut-Brion Blanc

La Clarté de Haut-Brion

Le Clarence de Haut-Brion

Plantiers de Haut-Brion

Inside Information

96 points Wine Spectator

  Complex aromas of black licorice, tobacco and cedar with red fruits. Full-bodied, with superseductive, silky tannins, loads of fruit and a finish that lasts for minutes. A beauty in all the sense of the word. Best after 2012.   (3/ 2006)

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  Even better, and clearly the best wine made in the Haut-Brion stable in 2003 (the last vintage of the great Jean-Bernard Delmas as administrator), the 2003 Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc that hit 13% natural alcohol, which seemed high at the time, but given more recent vintages is modest. Dark ruby/plum in color, with no amber or orange at the edge, the wine exhibits an abundance of roasted herbs, hot rocks, black currants, plum, and balsamic notes. Quite rich, medium to full-bodied and more complete, with sweeter tannins than La Mission Haut-Brion, this full-bodied Haut-Brion has hit full maturity, where it should stay for at least a decade. Bravo!  (8/ 2014)

94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

  Deep ruby-red. The freshest on the nose of the 2003s at this address, offering slightly high-toned smoky raspberry, minerals and graphite and a suggestion of medicinal austerity. Offers great breadth and early charm, but also possesses very firm underlying structure. Finishes with big, ripe tannins and outstanding grip and length.   (6/ 2006)

Jancis Robinson

  Dark ruby. Opulent and sweet with some real depth of flavour. The slightly burnt note was more indicative of Haut-Brion's 'warm bricks' character than sunburnt grapes. Long, rich and quite satisfying. Lively and very fresh with a cool, dry finish. Not remotely like the stereotype of an overripe 2003. Neat and dry on the end. 18/20 points. Drink 2011-2023.   (3/ 2013)

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