Wine Advisor
Haut Brisson 2019
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2019 Haut-Brisson is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The alcohol this year is 13.95% and the pH is 3.7. It came in at a yield of 41 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is being aged in French oak barrels, 35% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it prances out of the glass with bold, expressive baked black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves scents, followed by suggestions of Chinese five spice, red roses, baker's chocolate and sautéed herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers loads of spicy black fruit with a lively line of freshness and approachable, chewy tannins, finishing with an herbal lift.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2019 Haut-Brisson delivers aromas of dark berries, cherry preserve, baking chocolate and creamy new oak. Full-bodied, broad and fleshy, it's a generous, rather muscular Saint-Émilion, with plenty of ripe fruit and powdery structuring tannin. It's produced from a site near Monbousquet characterized by fine gravel soils.
About the Producer
Chateau Haut Brisson is located in the St. Emilion region of France. The Saint-Emilion appellation, where Château d'Aubusson is located, has hot, dry summers, long days and cool nights, which are ideal for growing quality grapes. The five vineyards, 51et 57rangs, Cailloux, Huck, Verdot and Monbousquet, have an area of 89 acres, with soils rich in organic matter, producing wines with silky tannins. The Huck vineyard, with its fine gravel surface, produces elegant wines. The vineyard is planted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and the average age of the vines is 40 years. To maintain the natural balance of soil fertility and organic matter, the vines are grown without the use of chemical fertilisers, synthetic herbicides or pesticides. In winter, when the vines are dormant, they are pruned and cut by hand. During the harvest season - late September and early October - the grapes are selected and picked by hand for optimum ripeness. The harvested grapes are immediately transported to the cellar for destemming, sorting and pressing. The grapes are then macerated in the fermenters at low temperatures for 5 days to extract the colour, tannins and other flavours from the skins. As the maceration progresses, the temperature in the fermenters rises and alcoholic fermentation begins. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to oak barrels to mature for 15 to 18 months. The type of oak barrel used for maturation and the degree of toasting varies according to the wine. Finally, the unfiltered or clarified wines are bottled in the winery. Château Aubisson produces three wines, La Reserve, Chateau Haut-Brisson and La Grave, notably the 2009 vintage of La Reserve, which was awarded 95 points by Robert Parker.
