Chateau Haut Brion 1986

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at the château, the 1986 Haut Brion is a vintage that I had not tasted for some time. It is a blend of 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 62% Cabernet Sauvignon according to the chateau's records. Mirroring the 1996 La Mission, in this vintage that Haut-Brion occupies a higher quality level, with more complexity and vivacity on the nose: dusky black fruit, warm gravel, terracotta and cigar humidor. Lovely! The palate is very well balanced, maybe a little rustic compared to recent vintages, yet with firm body and grip. It's the kind of gruff, almost surly, broad-shouldered 1986s that might be a little curmudgeonly compared to 1985 or 1989, however after 30 years you are compensated with plenty of freshness and focus. I don't think it ranks up there with the best of the First Growth...that would come in other vintages, but it still provides plenty of drinking pleasure for those who love their classic claret with capital "C". Tasted July 2016.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The 1986 may not please those people who do not find the smoky, tobacco-scented character of Graves to their liking. This wine is a remarkably concentrated, powerful Haut-Brion that should prove to be extremely long-lived. Very deep in color, with a staggering wealth of fruit and flavor, the huge, smoky, tobacco and mineral-scented bouquet seems to fill the room. Explosively rich, full-bodied, and with gobs of tannin, this classic wine is one of the great stars of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2015. Last tasted, 6/93.

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at lunch at La Trompette. A bottle from my own cellar, this shocked several palate with its class…including my own. It has a stunning bouquet with scorched earth, blackberry, fresh tobacco (that gains intensity with continued aeration), dried lemon peel and olive compote. The palate is full-bodied and typical of the vintage it has a firm, rigid backbone with a wonderful sense of tension. Fresh and vibrant with a palpable sense of mineralite, subtle notes of wild mushroom on the finish. Bright and joyous, which is saying something for the habitually doughty Left Bank 86s! Given its price vis-a-vis other vintages, I would snap this up. Drink now-2035. Tasted July 2010.

robert_parker90

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

A deep garnet hue. This has an attractive nose though sans the complexity and charm of the ’85. Blackberry, pine, mint, a hint of wild mushroom that turns more truffly in the glass. The palate is full-bodied, tannic and dense and perhaps lacks the definition of a great Haut-Brion. Blackberry, a little fungal? Black olives coming through more on the finish, which is lacking a little vigour. A solid Haut-Brion but not in the same class as the previous bottle in 2002. Drink now-2020 Tasted November 2006.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Last Tasted 8/92 Of all the Haut-Brions made during Bordeaux's "Decade of the Century," the eighties, this is the most backward wine, and because of that, it requires more time in the cellar. The color is a healthy deep ruby, and the nose exhibits the tell-tale smoky scents of tobacco, minerals, and black fruits. There is considerable tannin, medium to full body, excellent richness, and a long, well-delineated, moderately firm finish. Although most Haut-Brions are delicious young, the 1986 requires another 4-5 years of patience. However, it should turn out to be a classic Haut-Brion and may prove to be longer lived than such renowned vintages of Haut-Brion as the 1982, 1985, and 1989.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at Harry Gill’s annual lunch. This Haut-Brion is developing a ripe, almost opulent nose with blackberry, wild mint, cedar, dark chocolate, graphite and a touch of toffee. The palate is full-bodied, very well balanced with sinewy tannins; notes of wild mushroom, black olive, cedar, raspberry coulis and leather, leading to a more earthy, woodland finish. Lovely, classic and unassuming. Drink now-2025. Tasted February 2010.

robert_parker0

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Nose reeks of a tramp’s smelly socks (approx five days old.) Out of condition.

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

A riper nose than La Mission. Mint and black cherry. More feminine and subtle on the palate. A bit austere and needs another 1-2 years. Notes of tobacco and earth - very concentrated. Less profound than the 1985 but still a great wine. 10-20 years. Tasted March 2002.

robert_parker0

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

A Possible Legend Candidate

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

This wine continues to be backward, but the bouquet is beginning to develop secondary nuances from roasted herbs and sweet cigar tobacco to compost, leathery notes, along with plenty of sweet cherry and black currant fruit. I had somewhat higher hopes for it a decade ago. The wine is still youthful, quite pure, medium to full-bodied, but somewhat elevated, austere tannins in the finish at age 16 are starting to make me think they will never become fully integrated. As always, making a judgment call on a wine destined to have a half-century of life is sometimes difficult, given the varying stages it goes through, but I wonder if this wine will turn out to be as profound as I once predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Last tasted, 11/02.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The 1986 Haut-Brion, which I thought should be fully mature by now, remains a backward, highly concentrated, powerful wine with more noticeable tannin than most top vintages. The wine does possesses a tell-tale smoky tobacco and sweet black currant-scented nose, in addition to subtle new oak and minerals scents. This medium to full-bodied, rich, intensely smoky wine has still not reached its plateau of maturity. It is unquestionably the wine of the vintage for Graves, and not far off the pace of the great 1986 first-growth Medocs. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015. Last tasted 7/97.