2021 Château Haut-Brion Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
The 2021 Haut-Brion Blanc has a wonderful bouquet of white peach, yellow plum, kumquat and white flower scents that opens beautifully in the glass, displaying lovely definition. The palate is very well balanced with a killer line of acidity that perfectly counterbalances the intense citrus fruit. Razor-sharp, more than any vintage that I have tasted in recent years. I often think that this is overrated at primeur, but the 2021 is undeniably a showstopping Haut-Brion Blanc.
Drink 2030 - 2060
Neal Martin, vinous.com, (May 2022)
Gorgeous depth from first to last moment, nuanced, green apple, white pear, citrus, slate and gunsmoke, all beautifully drawn out through the palate, an impressive white that rises vertically. Harvest September 3 to 13. 44% new oak, with lees stirring once a week.
Drink 2024 - 2034
Jane Anson, janeanson.com (May 2022)
More opulent and aromatic than La Mission with a smoky, citrus-grapefruit edge. Aromatically more Sauvignon-led despite the dominance of Sémillon in the blend. Full and plush on the palate but still fresh and very, very long.
Drink 2025 - 2036
James Lawther, jancisrobinson.com (May 2022)
The 2021 Haut-Brion Blanc also shows considerable promise, offering up aromas of pink grapefruit, nectarine and crisp orchard fruits mingled with notions of freshly baked bread, pastry cream and beeswax. Full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it's satiny and seamless, with a broader-shoulders, more muscular profile than La Mission's white but similarly vibrant acids. At this early stage, this would appear to be one of the two or three finest Haut-Brion whites of the last 20 years.
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)
A complex, thought-provoking white. Vibrant and exciting with green herbs, stones and hints of aniseed and wet sea weed. Sea salt, too. It’s full-bodied and tight on the palate and rather shy. But then it takes off at the end and accelerates. Phenolic, with fine tannins. Iron. Oyster shell. 57% semillon and 43% sauvignon.
James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (May 2022)
About this WINE
Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc
Chateau Haut Brion is located in the bustling suburb of Pessac on the outskirts of Bordeaux, this 45-hectare 1er Cru Classé property was the only property outside of the Médoc and Sauternes to be included in the 1855 Classifcation. The vineyards (Red: Cabernet Sauvignon 45%; Merlot 37%; Cabernet Franc 18%; White: Semillon 63%; Sauvignon Blanc 37%) lie on large (up to 18 metres deep in places) gravel banks interspersed with clay.
Jean-Bernard Delmas, one of Bordeaux`s great characters, has been régisseur since 1961 and the wine-making is now overseen by Jean-Philippe Masclef. Haut Brion is characterised by its seductive perfume, harmony, elegance and its ability to age with grace and dignity. A superb white is also produced.
Pessac-Leognan
In 1986 a new communal district was created within Graves, in Bordeaux, based on the districts of Pessac and Léognan, the first of which lies within the suburbs of the city. Essentially this came about through pressure from Pessac-Léognan vignerons, who wished to disassociate themselves from growers with predominately sandy soils further south in Graves.
Pessac-Léognan has the best soils of the region, very similar to those of the Médoc, although the depth of gravel is more variable, and contains all the classed growths of the region. Some of its great names, including Ch. Haut-Brion, even sit serenely and resolutely in Bordeaux's southern urban sprawl.
The climate is milder than to the north of the city and the harvest can occur up to two weeks earlier. This gives the best wines a heady, rich and almost savoury character, laced with notes of tobacco, spice and leather. Further south, the soil is sandier with more clay, and the wines are lighter, fruity and suitable for earlier drinking.
Recommended Châteaux: Ch. Haut-Brion, Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, Ch. Pape Clément, Ch Haut-Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Ch. Larrivet-Haut-Brion, Ch. Carmes Haut-Brion, Ch. La Garde, Villa Bel-Air.
Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon
The blend used for White Graves and Sauternes and rarely encountered outside France. In the great dry whites of Graves, Sauvignon Blanc tends to predominate in the blend, although properties such as Smith Haut Lafite use 100% Sauvignon Blanc while others such as Laville Haut Brion have as much as 60% Sémillon in their final blends. Sauvignon Blanc wines can lose their freshness and fruit after a couple of years in bottle - if blended with Sémillon, then the latter bolsters the wine when the initial fruit from the Sauvignon fades. Ultimately Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine its aroma and raciness while Sémillon gives it backbone and longevity.
In Sauternes, Sémillon is dominant, with Sauvignon Blanc playing a supporting role - it is generally harvested about 10 days before Sémillon and the botrytis concentrates its sweetness and dampens Sauvignon Blanc`s naturally pungent aroma. It contributes acidity, zip and freshness to Sauternes and is an important component of the blend.
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Description
Only a very limited quantity of this wine is available, and sales are handled by our Account Managers. You can find out more about this service here. If you would like to hear about Bordeaux 2021 En Primeur releases, sign up here. You can browse our range of new releases here.
Sémillon 57%, Sauvignon Blanc 43%
Our tasting note made at the château is succinct: “Great wine, choose your adjectives”. This has everything, running from the pithy textures of pear, quince and apple to the more exotic elements of guava, citrus and pineapple. There’s a sweet enfolding experience of brioche and vanilla, and even some cool stone and saline marine notes. The energy is compelling and the finish swells to a seemingly endless crescendo. Tasting this is a unique and, unfortunately, rare experience, with less than 500 cases made. Drink 2025-2045.
Our score: 19/20
Berry Bros. & Rudd, April 2022
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