Chateau Haut-Brion 2011
Review of the EstateChâteau Haut-Brion is notable for its First Growth status, under both the 1855 and 1973 Médoc classifications, despite its geographical location in Graves. This mark of respect is due to the obsession with quality and continual winemaking improvements that have been the dominant modus operandi at Chateau Haut Brion over the past four centuries. The modern estate grew from humble origins as a property known as Maison Noble d'Aubrion which was acquired by Jean de Pontac through his marriage to Jeanne de Bellon in 1525. Pontac was responsible for expanding Chateau Haut-Brion, and creating an international market for the wines, the quality of which was noted by Samuel Pepys who wrote in April 1663,"here I drank a sort of French wine, called Ho Bryan, that hath a good and most particular taste that I never met with." However, Chateau Haut Brion was still known formally as Château Pontac until the late 18th Century when it eventually passed out of the Pontac family’s hands. As the first recorded First Growth to be imported into the United States, when Thomas Jefferson purchased six cases during his travels and sent them back to his home in Virginia, it is perhaps unsurprising that Chateau Haut-Brion was eventually purchased by an American. After a string of owners, financier Clarence Dillon acquired the estate in 1935. Chateau Haut Brion is currently owned by Domaine Clarence Dillon, which is a limited company and thereby prevents excessive divisions of the estate between successive generations. Presently, Prince Robert of Luxembourg is at the helm, with Jean-Philippe Delmas managing the viticultural aspects of the business. As a First Growth, there is constant pressure to produce outstanding yet consistent wines and Château Haut-Brion has consistently embraced new technologies to meet this standard. In the 1960s, the estate pioneered the installation of stainless steel vats – the first of the First Growths to do so. This increased the reliability of the vinification process and positioned Chateau Haut Brion at the forefront of innovation in the Bordeaux region, producing a savoury wine which is both rich and intricate.
Vineyard Surface area: 106.7 acres Grape Varieties: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc Average age of vines: 36 years Density of plantation: 8,00 vines per hectare Average yields: 35-45 hectoliters per hectare Average cases produced: 11,000 per year Plateau of maturity: 10 - 40 years |
|
![]() | Robert Parker Haut-Brion 2011 ReviewScore: 95 Points 2011: Like its stablemate La Mission-Haut-Brion, Haut-Brion’s 2011 production was small, only 7,600 cases, which is nearly 3,000 fewer cases than in 2009. A blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc, it is interesting to taste the 2011 Haut-Brion next to the more open-knit, seductive 2011 La Mission Haut-Brion. The former wine is more firm, backward and earthy with a more formidably structured style. Undeniably elegant, distinctive and original, it exhibits notes of mulberries, plums, blueberries and raspberries. Jean-Philippe Delmas told me that in many ways the 2011 reminds him of the 2008 from an aromatic and structural profile. There is plenty of tannin, and the 2011 has 25-30 years of aging potential. It may be more reminiscent of a vintage such as 1988, but it is better made as well as being the product of a far stricter selection process. Score: 95 |
Chateau Haut-Brion 2011 Recent Price History
Prices below are sourced from wine-searcher.com
Wine | Vintage | May 2011 Value Per Case | July 2013 Value Per Case | Value Increase | Percentage Increase |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Haut Brion | 2011 | £3,684 | £4,212 | £528 | 14,33% |
Chateau Haut Brion Wine List
Bordeaux Investment Wines - Chateau Haut Brion 2011 Review