Wine Advisor
Chateau Haut Brion 1982
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Having emerged from its dormant state, the 1982 Haut-Brion is just beginning to reveal some of the textbook tobacco, cedar, earthy, roasted aromas of a great Graves. The color remains a healthy deep ruby with no signs of amber or rust. Medium to full-bodied, with excellent definition, as well as copious amounts of glycerin, alcohol, and richness, this wine is beginning to live up to its initial high promise, although I cannot see it ever matching the brilliance of Haut-Brion's magnificent 1989. The wine is 2-5 years away from full maturity; it should keep for 20-25 years. Last tasted, 6/93.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This was one of the best showings yet for this wine, which, to my palate and mind, has never lived up to its early potential. In this tasting, the 1982 revealed a healthy dark ruby color with lightening at the edge. Intense, persistent aromas of saddle leather, roasted herbs, scorched earth, and sweet black currant fruit were followed by complex flavors of minerals, spice box, and cedar. Although this medium-bodied, fleshy, ripe, concentrated wine is not a blockbuster, as it unfolds, it reveals layers of flavor in addition to this vineyard's tell-tale complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the La Mission/Haut-Brion dinner at The Ledbury. Although the other First Growth’s might constitute better wines, this is the one I would actually like to sit down a drink at the moment. This bottle is similar to previous ones with a delectable nose that unfurls beautifully in the glass with hot bricks, melted black tar and tobacco and a touch of iron rust, moving firmly into secondary aromas. The palate is medium-bodied and as I have said before, less opulent and precocious than its peers, yet it has exquisite balance and here, a more backward finish with dense black, earthy fruit with those trademark touches of rosemary and thyme. Gorgeous. Drink now-2025. Tasted September 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Last Tasted 8/92 This is a difficult Haut-Brion to figure out. It was stunning from cask and reminded me of the 1989, only less concentrated. Today its evolution has slowed to a snail's pace. The wine is rich and medium to full-bodied, with a reticent but blossoming bouquet of black fruits and spices. In the mouth, there is fine weight, glycerin, and richness, as well as considerable tannin. However, the wine has not budged in its evolution for the last 5-6 years and now appears more restrained and backward. While approachable, I would cellar it for another 3-5 years. It should last easily through the first decade of the next century.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Christies' Boardroom dinner from an ex-chateau bottle. The 1982 Haut Brion has always been a sublime expression of the vintage, though never one of the most outgoing or ambitious. Here, it has a very refined bouquet with cigar box, autumn leaves, undergrowth and bay leaf. There is a depth to the aromatics that is enticing although it is a little more diffuse than previous bottles. The palate is medium- bodied with a grainy texture, well judged acidity and an endearing, effortless finish with tobacco lingering on the aftertaste.Fabulous...but is it about to "turn the corner"? Even if that is the case, this remains an utterly adorable Haut-Brion. Tasted November 2013.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
How can you escape from the brilliance of this Haut-Brion? Even amongst esteemed company the quality of this wine shone through and represents probably my finest encounter with this wine. A stunning nose of black olive, tobacco, tar and fig with awe-inspiring freshness and delineation. The palate is beautifully balance, much less conservative than I recall with a supremely well-focused finish of tobacco infused blackberry, smoke and cigar box. Very long and simply delicious to consume and then reflect upon. Tasted February 2008.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
I know Jean Delmas, whom I respect as one of the world’s greatest wine producers, has always thought the 1982 Haut Brion was similar to the 1959, but I have yet to see that. It seems to me the 1989 is closer to the 1959, another perfect wine and one of the all-time great Haut Brions. While the 1982 is a beauty, it has never hit the highest notes this vintage or terroir can achieve. Complex aromatics of scorched earth, smoked herbs, and sweet red and black currants are followed by a full-bodied, silky-textured wine, but I have never felt this offering has possessed the concentration, texture, or multidimensional personality found in such vintages as 1989, 1990, and more recent years. Nevertheless, this is essentially splitting hairs as the 1982 remains a superb Haut Brion. Seemingly less evolved than the 1990, it is capable of another 20-30 years of longevity. Perhaps there is something in reserve that will reveal itself in the next decade. Drink now-2035. Release price: ($400.00/case)
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Administrator, Jean Delmas, continues to believe the 1982 is the modern day clone of the 1959 Haut-Brion. I am not willing to go that far, but it is certainly a rich, seductive, medium to full-bodied Haut-Brion that is beginning to reveal some of the tell-tale, mineral, tobacco, ripe, curranty fruit aspects of this fragrant, complex first-growth. The 1982 Haut-Brion is not, in my opinion, comparable to the perfect 1989, but it is a rich, full-bodied wine with well-integrated, sweet tannin, true class and character, and a sweet, expansive, long finish. The wine has been slow to throw off its cloak of tannin and reveal its true Haut-Brion-like personality. It should reach full maturity in 3-5 years and drink well through the first two decades of the next century . Tasted 12 times since bottling with consistent notes.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served lunching at The Ledbury in London. I do adore this Haut-Brion. The nose is heavenly with tobacco, earth, hot bricks, wild hedgerow, a touch of black olive (less than other bottles) with brilliant definition. The palate is medium-bodied, less precocious than say Latour or Mouton ’82, more open-knit and accessible, quintessential Pessac that embraces that warmth of the growing season and infuses the delectable bouquet with nuances such as smoke, dried herbs, cigar box and a touch of rosemary. After an hour in the glass it is building and building. Divine. Drink now-2020+ Tasted March 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted twice in 2001. Slight aging on the rim. A pungent nose of damp earth and girolles mushrooms. Very complex - wonderful balance. Mature tannins. Less flamboyant than Mouton 82 but more aristocratic and succinct. A lovely Haut Brion to be enjoyed for the next decade. Last tasted in April 2004 at the FWE vertical. A lovely earthy, cedary, tobacco nose with a touch of iodine. The palate is very earthy with firm tannins. Lacks a little weight mid-palate - a bit more weedy than when I have drunk this wine in Bordeaux. Black olives and tobacco on the finish which on this occasion was a four-square. Definitely needs food. Drinking now.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A Possible Legend Candidate
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Supple and enveloping, the 1982 Haut-Brion is drinking brilliantly today, wafting from the glass with aromas of red berries and plums, tobacco leaf, cedar box, scorched earth, cigar smoke and walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, broad and sensual, it's fleshy and giving, with a rich core of fruit, melting tannins and a long, resonant finish. At age 40, this is the most charming of the 1982 first growths, yet despite its outgoing personality, it seems to gain in stature with every passing year.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
As far as first-growth 1982s go, this wine is certainly not one of the profound examples of the vintage. Administrator Jean Delmas has always compared it to the 1959, and perhaps it will magically put on weight and length, and ultimately be comparable to that perfect wine. However, this wine seems a far cry from the immortal 1989, and even such recent Haut-Brion greats as the 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, and 2000. Nevertheless, it is still a relatively youthful wine, with a deep ruby color that is just showing a bit of pink at the edge. The wine shows sweet red currant, plum, and sweet mineral notes, followed by a medium-bodied, very elegant style, with ripe tannin, beautiful fruit, and 45-second length. Its youthfulness is not surprising, but the wine does not seem to have the weight, opulence, and viscosity of the top 1982s. Anticipated maturity: Now-2022. Last tasted, 11/02.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the 1982 dinner at The Square, this was actually the second time I have tasted the Haut Brion 1982 in a matter of days. It is just a charismatic wine. Quite deep in colour, it has a complex, captivating bouquet with notes of clove, black truffle and earth that displays marvellous lift and vitality. The palate displays fine tannins, superb acidity and harmony with touches of dried meat, tobacco and bacon fat towards the finish. This is one of the finest bottles that I have encountered and it shows little sign of reaching the end of its drinking plateau. Tasted April 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Pebbles/Zachy’s 1982 dinner in Hong Kong. Comparing the Haut Brion ’82 directly against La Mission and La Tour Haut-Brion ’82, it is clear that the aromatics are here the most subtle and complex with scents of red fruit, autumn leaves, black truffle and bay leaf, all with immense clarity and poise. The palate is defined by its filigree tannins, an otherworldly symmetry and sedateness that perhaps make this the most drinkable for First Growths from this haloed vintage. Hints of melted tar and tobacco become more pronounced towards the finish that might not have the chutzpah of the La Mission but is simple...class. Tasted November 2012.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Though having tasted the Haut-Brion 1982 on numerous occasions, it is still a divine Pessac-Léognan to cherish. Here at The Glasshouse restaurant, it has that lovely warm gravel on a summer's day bouquet, brown autumn leaves, bay leaf and here= a slightly more conspicuous note of black olive than I have noticed in the past. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, again a little more diffuse than its fellow 1982 First Growths, but with just as much charm. If anything, it feels a little tighter and more backward than previous examples, perhaps suggesting that bottles of excellent provenance will last many years. It is a wonderful 1982 First Growth, not a pinnacle of the vintage, but disarmingly and utterly charming. Tasted July 2014.
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Package Size
1 x 75cl
