Chateau Haut Brion 1985

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The 1985 Haut-Brion, along with the flamboyant Mouton-Rothschild, is one of the two best first-growths of the vintage. The epitome of elegance and finesse, the 1985 is a deep ruby-colored wine, with a full intensity bouquet of jammy fruit, spices, and tobacco. It exhibits a soft, generous texture, super concentration, exquisite balance, and a long, impressive finish. While it does not have the power of the 1989 or 1986, it is a gorgeously elegant wine. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010. Last tasted, 6/93.

robert_parker95

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at lunch at La Trompette. The Haut-Brion ’85 has a gorgeous warm, inviting bouquet with pure red-berried fruit, hung game, warm gravel, leather and a floral note that I have not noticed before. The palate is sensual, beautifully balanced with delicate touch of leather, cedar, earth and rounded raspberry and cranberry fruit that fade in the glass. Just lovely. Tasted July 2010.

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at the La Mission/Haut-Brion dinner at The Ledbury. This is the best bottle of Haut-Brion ’85 that I have encountered with a sensational bouquet that is almost identical to the last bottle in July, but with even greater lift and intensity, whilst the palate shows a touch more precision and poise that marries so effortlessly with its corpulent, sensual texture. Drinking perfectly now, it feels almost too good to cellar for longer! Drink now-2030. September 2010.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Against my expectations, this Haut-Brion is refusing to lie down and has actually improved in recent years. A lovely nose of cedar, tobacco, a hint of sous-bois and molasses. The palate is medium-bodied with a sedate nature about it, notes of cedar, tobacco, damson and tar but form start to finish it maintains its poise and focus. Touches of iodine on the almost tarty finish – this has oodles of charm. Tasted November 2006.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Last Tasted 8/92 The 1985 is another example of how Haut-Brion appears to gain character in the bottle. From cask it was delicious, but hardly dazzling. After bottling, the wine's intense bouquet of sweet fruit, spices, minerals, and smoky, earthy scents has become more flamboyant. In addition to those compelling aromas, the wine now exhibits an even more generous richness, medium to full body, as well as elegance and finesse. This supple, delicious wine can be drunk now, but it promises to age for another 15 or more years. An extremely seductive Haut Brion, while it lacks the power of the 1986 and the sheer drama of the 1989, it may be the most classic expression of Haut Brion produced in the eighties.

robert_parker95

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at the Claret Club -85 Dinner at -The Square-, this is one of the best bottles of Haut-Brion -85 that I have tasted, probably reaching full maturity now. It has a complex, savoury nose with raspberry, stones, dried blood and a touch of black olive and leather. The palate has wonderful sense of sensuality, beautiful balanced and surfeit with finesse, slight bucolic towards the finish with notes of tar and cedar interwoven through those abraded black fruits. As ever, it just gets better and better in the glass. Wonderful. Drink now-2025. Tasted December 2009.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at Roberson’s in London. This is a lovely mature Haut-Brion, a counterpart to the 1982 in some ways. It has a timid bouquet at first but it gradually unfurls in the glass offering blackberry leaf, raspberry, crushed stones, gravel and a touch of saddle-leather. The palate is beautifully balanced with good vigour, a generous Haut-Brion with tar, cedar and a touch of espresso towards the finish. Very natural, yet unassuming but it magically puts on weight in the glass. Wonderful. Drink now-2020. Tasted April 2009.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

First tasted in March 2001 at Hollyhocks when it was "elegant and suave: a top-class Haut Brion. Sophomore tasting at the FWE vertical in April 2004. A mature tawny rim. The nose is a bit reticent with aromas of sandalwood, lemongrass and cigar box emerging with aeration. The palate is fleshy, very smooth with cedar, wild strawberries and figs. The finish is a bit tart and a touch alcoholic. More acidic than I had expected. Improves in the glass. Probably at its peak now.

robert_parker0

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

A Possible Legend Candidate

robert_parker95

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

A gloriously seductive, classic Haut-Brion showing the most savory side of this elegant, finesse-styled wine, the 1985 Haut-Brion has reached its plateau of full maturity. The color is a deep ruby/garnet with some lightening at the edge. A very complex nose of cedar, dried herbs, smoke, creosote, and black cherries, plums, and currants jumps from the glass. In the mouth, it is round, concentrated, medium to full-bodied, with a velvety texture and beautifully integrated alcohol, acidity, and tannin. A beauty! Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 11/02.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

This has always been one of the more seductive, savory, complex Haut-Brions of the eighties. My notes have always suggested that it is the quintessentially elegant, finesse-styled Haut-Brion. The color remains a deep ruby/purple with slight lightening at the edge. The knock-out nose of intense jammy black fruits, smoke, cedar, herbs, and new oak is followed by a generously concentrated, rich, gorgeously proportioned and layered Haut-Brion with no hard edges. Everything - alcohol, acidity, tannin - is beautifully integrated into the seamless personality of the 1985. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010. Last tasted 10/97

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at the 1985 Bordeaux horizontal, the 1985 Château Haut Brion is a lovely wine at the peak of its powers. It has an elegant bouquet with sandalwood and dried rose petals that combine effortlessly with vestiges of red berry fruit. I noticed how with time in the glass, it offers a "side order" of wild girolles! The palate is medium-bodied with a fine seam of acidity, delicate tertiary and leather tones infiltrating the red berry fruit, and while it does not have the audacity of the 1989 or 1990, the finesse on the finish completely wins you over. Simply drink, sit back and savor. Tasted July 2015.