Tasting Notes
Robert Parker 98
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.
Anticipated maturity: 2033-2070
JancisRobinson.com 18.5+
48.7% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.1% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample. Flexes muscle this year. Deep and complex but broody and subdued on the nose. Big, bold palate with an impressive density of mouth-filling fruit. Huge tannic frame behind, the tannins plentiful but ripe and swathed in all that fruit. Just a touch more freshness than La Mission. Really long and persistent. (JL)
Anticipated maturity: 2030-2050
Vinous 97
A potent, brooding wine, the 2019 Haut-Brion soars out of the glass with magnificent intensity. Its greatness and regal bearing are immediately apparent. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of dark fruit, scorched earth, tar, licorice and incense overtones that build effortlessly into the deep, eternal finish. The 2019 Haut-Brion is a wine of breeding, structure and power. It is also very clearly one of the standouts of the vintage. Don’t miss it!
