Wine Advisor
Haut Brion Blanc 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
This Haut-Brion 2019 Blanc is a blend of 64.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 35.6% Semillon, harvested from the 29th of August to the 9th of September. The estimated label alcohol degree is 14%. The nose is quite subdued to begin, soon unfurling to offer fragrant scents of orange blossoms, white peaches and lime cordial with hints of oyster shell, fresh ginger, pomelo and kumquat plus a suggestion of jasmine. The medium to full-bodied palate has a seducing hint of oiliness texturing the intense citrus and chalky layers, lifted by bold freshness and finishing with incredible length and perfume. Just stunning.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2019 Haut-Brion Blanc is richer and rounder than its stablemate across the street, bursting with aromas of peaches, citrus zest, ripe orchard fruit, pastry cream and white flowers. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it's ample and enveloping, with a demonstrative core of fruit, lively acids and a long, saline finish.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2019 Haut-Brion is a blend of 48.7% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.1% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 10th of September to the 3rd of October. The estimated label alcohol degree is 14.5%. Displaying a deep garnet-purple color, it comes off incredibly shy and reticent to begin, needing considerable coaxing to reveal notes of dark chocolate-covered cherries, blackberry preserves, woodsmoke and sandalwood, before launching into a full-scale fireworks display of iron ore, cumin seed, redcurrant jelly, red roses, oolong tea and Sichuan pepper scents plus a waft of cardamom. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers the most exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins with a lively backbone of freshness supporting the tightly wound, earth-laced black fruit layers, finishing very long and minerally. This is one of the most finely structured, tightly knit wines of the vintage. Given time, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it goes atomic and eventually takes top place for the vintage.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries and plums mingled with notions of pencil shavings, burning embers and creamy new oak, the 2019 Haut-Brion is full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a textural attack that segues into an ample and enveloping core of fruit, concluding with a long, expansive finish. Broad-shouldered and muscular, its rich, powdery tannins are already seamlessly integrated; and though it's labeled at 15% alcohol, far higher than the great vintages of yesteryear, it avoids any sense of over-ripeness.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Haut-Brion Blanc is a regal white of uncommon complexity and nuance. Textured and resonant in feel, the 2019 saturates the palate with a host of citrus and mineral-drenched flavors. White pepper, chalk, mint and lifted floral overtones all develop in the glass, but it is the wine's textural resonance that stands out most. A thrilling white, the 2019 simply has it all. In a word: magnificent.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2019 Haut-Brion Blanc is richer and rounder than its stablemate across the street, bursting with aromas of peaches, citrus zest, ripe orchard fruit, pastry cream and white flowers. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it's ample and enveloping, with a demonstrative core of fruit, lively acids and a long, saline finish.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is crazy quality. The depth and intensity is really something. It is so compact and powerful with such intensity and density. Energy. So structured. Full-bodied. Layered and superb. Like a great Montrachet from a great vintage, but so Haut Brion. Speechless. Perfect wine.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Very aromatic, with a real airy quality of jasmine, lilacs, crushed stone, pear skin and apple, as well as some citrus. Full-bodied and dense with a creamy, phenolic texture that lasts for minutes at the end. Structured like a red wine. Reserved, compact and intense, and holding back for the future. Drink after 2028 and onwards.
About the Producer
Haut-Brion has long produced the most prestigious Graves Blanc, although it faced strong competition from its neighbour La Mission Haut-Brion, which had been producing its own white wines under the Laville Haut-Brion label until 2009, when it was rebranded as La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc (both estates are under the same ownership). With very small production since the first vintage in 1916, La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has always been a wine of considerable strength and longevity; its rarity, and the fact that it is the only white wine produced by a first growth in the Graves, makes it highly sought after by collectors. The estate's first growth status does not include white wines and it remains unclassified. Of the 52 hectares planted on the estate, only 2.9 are white: 53% Sémillon and 47% Sauvignon Blanc. (There are also a few rows of Sauvignon Blanc today, but they were not planted in 1989). They are planted on a 27m high hillock opposite the château. The soil is very deep gravel, on a clay subsoil. There is less clay than in Lamena and a different mix of varieties, with much more Sauvignon Blanc in Haut-Brion. The whole estate is located within the city limits of Bordeaux and therefore benefits from a warmer microclimate. Yields range from 25-40 litres/ha. Harvesting is carried out by hand, at maximum ripeness, so that the wines vary from 13% to 14% alcohol. Sorting takes place in the vineyard and the grapes are pneumatically pressed in whole bunches with no skin contact. Fermentation was carried out in oak barrels with native yeasts, but malolactic fermentation was prevented. The wines were decanted every three or four months and aged for 10 to 12 months, with very little stirring of the lees. In the 1980s it was common for wines to be aged entirely in new oak barrels, but today this percentage is around 50%. Production varies from 5,500 to 8,500 bottles. In 2000, the British critic Tom Cannavan enthused: "The nose has a wax and wet wool character, very buttery, with a gorgeous weight of fruit and little floral notes in the peaches, vanilla and nuts. Wonderful fruit ripeness gives a sweet impression, lots of oranges and lush apricots ...... A long, very concentrated and pure finish. Recently, American critic Jeff Leve reported on the 2010 vertical tasting, noting that the 1989 "opens with freshly picked flowers, honey, caramel, grass, lemon and lime aromas. Accompanied by a rich, polished fruit texture, the wine finishes with a blend of citrus flavours".
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