Chateau Haut-Brion - Pessac-Leognan 2015
Price: $949.00
| Producer | Chateau Haut-Brion |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Pessac-Leognan |
| Varietal | Red Blend |
| Vintage | 2015 |
| Sku | 47809 |
Chateau Haut-Brion Description
Weather conditions
The year 2015 appears to be the warmest and sunniest, throughout our country, since the beginning of meteorological statistics. A long heat wave and dry period allowed to achieve excellent flowering conditions until the arrival, in August, of miraculous rains. This rain enabled the vines to maintain the necessary water reserves and to provide requisite nourishment for perfect ripeness. The harvest began in September under a clear blue sky. Thanks to this ideal weather, we were able to wait for optimum ripeness for each grape variety. All the conditions are there to allow 2015 to join the greatest vintages of Bordeaux.
Blend: Merlot Noir: 50%, Cabernet Franc: 8%, Cabernet Sauvignon: 42%
Tasting notes: The colour is very deep with attractive red highlights. The first impression on the nose is of ripe fruit. Swirling in the glass shows the bouquet’s intensity and complexity. The wine is full-bodied from the very first, going on to show refined, tight-knit tannin. The wine leaves an impression of freshness and plenty of volume, but without heaviness.
Wine Advocate: 100 Points
A blend of 50% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Haut-Brion is reticent to begin, languidly revealing crushed black cherries, ripe black plums and wild blueberries with sparks of cinnamon stick, cloves, nutmeg, espresso, unsmoked cigars, tapenade, crushed rocks and lavender. The full-bodied palate possesses wonderfully complementary contrasts of bold black and blue fruit richness and delicately nuanced cherry fruit, baking spices and floral accents, strutting ripe, finely pixelated tannins and seamless acidity that is placed firmly in the background, finishing very long and with plenty of attitude. This impeccably poised, exquisitely perfumed 2015 Haut-Brion possesses the most alluring yet seemingly effortless beauty. While it bears only a passing resemblance in its opulent personality to the now legendary 1989, like that vintage the 2015 cannot fail to hedonically satiate and intellectually edify all lovers of great Bordeaux who drink it. What’s more, it also has the blue-blooded tenaciousness to remain this jaw-droppingly impressive, throughout its many guises over time, and for a very, very long time.
James Suckling: 98 Points
This is all about seduction and beauty with tobacco, berries, tea and wet earth. Full-bodied, round and sexy. Love the polished and beautiful tannins. Racy and refined.
Wine Spectator: 98 Points
A brick house of a wine, loaded with roasted fig, warmed currant compote and plum reduction flavors that are as broad as they are deep, carried by warm tar, ganache and smoldering bay leaf and charcoal notes. A swath of tobacco through the finish pulls everything together and ties it up with a bow of roasted mesquite. The core shows lean, muscular strength in spades. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Vinous Media: 97 Points
The 2015 Haut-Brion has a gorgeous bouquet of great amplitude, featuring lush but controlled red berry fruit laced with chestnut and hints of game, all generous and intoxicating yet not overblown. The palate is medium-bodied with quite an oaky, coconut-tinged entry. Surprisingly savory, almost animally in style, it feels warm and fleshy and also a few years more mature than I would have anticipated. Thoroughly enjoyable, but a strange showing compared to previous encounters that were sheer perfection.
