2023 Chateau Haut Brion - 1er Grand Cru Classe Pessac-Leognan

Decanter.com – 98 pts – GH: *A stand out wine from Haut-Brion this year and one of the most charming Primeur samples from the estate. A little sombre on the nose, quiet with dark fruit, blackcurrant and brambles. Not so open on the nose, but this wows on the palate - rich, dense for the vintage, weighty in the mouth, clearly ripe and so filling. Chewy and alive, this is brilliant with a buzz of acidity, a sharp, sour, tartness but all so excellently delivered. So charming and so cuddly, this wine wants you to adore it. Bright and voluptuous, and not many can say that in this vintage. Really so great and still with chocolate, mint, pepper, raspberries, and floral notes all the way through. A complete knock out because it has flesh, juice, brightness and style. 3.7ph 4.3 acidity 80 IPT - second highest year after 2010 for the concentration. 42% grand vin production. A potential 100-point wine.* - 04/2024

Falstaff Magazin – 97 pts - PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zarte Gewürznuancen, ein Hauch von Kräuterwürze, Bitumen, schwarze Beerenfrucht, zart nach Lakritze, facettenreiches Bukett mit zartem Edelholztouch. Komplex, stoffig und straff, Anklänge von feinen roten Herzkirschen, integrierte, tragende Tannine, frisch strukturiert, mineralisch-salzig, ein Langstreckenläufe.* - 05/2024

Vinum Magazin – 97/100 pts: *Wie oft zurückhaltender als La Mission, jedoch nicht weniger komplex, dunkler in der Frucht, maskuliner am Gaumen, die saftige Frucht wird von feinsten Gerbstoffen umgarnt, eine eiserne Faust im Samthandschuh mit grosser Präzision und grossartiger Länge. Für eine kleine Ewigkeit gebaut.*

WeinWisser – 19,5+/20 pts – GL, TW: *52.3 % Merlot, 38.6 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.1 % Cabernet Franc, 50 bis 55 hl/ha. Dicht verwobenes Bouquet, zarte Anklänge an frischgepflückte schwarze Johannisbeere, Sandelholz und Holundergelee. Im zweiten Ansatz Schattenmorellensaft, heller Tabak und getrocknete Küchenkräuter. Am sehr komplexen Gaumen mit samtiger Textur, perfekt ausgereiftes, engmaschiges und kakaoartiges Tanningerüst, balancierte Rasse und ein Körper wie ein Modelathlet. Im konzentrierten gaaaaanz langhaltenden Finale ein Korb mit schwarzen Beeren, Schlehensaft, dunkler tiefschürfender Mineralik und königlicher Adstringenz. Eine Meisterleistung dieses Jahr – ganz nah an der Bestnote.* – 04/2024

JancisRobinson.com – 17,5/20pts – JL: *52.3% Merlot, 38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.1% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Seems to have more intensity than La Mission. Deep, floral and fresh. Very fine tannins with that plush, velvety texture only Haut-Brion can do. Builds on the palate to a persistent finish so there’s a certain power as well. Stony-fresh finish.* - 04/2024

Vinous.com – (95-97) pts – AG: *The 2023 Haut-Brion is superb. Silky, soft tannins enshroud a core of black fruit, gravel, chocolate, cloves and licorice, building into a potent, sumptuous, dazzling wine. Exotic and racy, with remarkable polish, this has a ton of potential. It’s an especially sensual, seamless Haut-Brion. All the 2023 needs is time—probably quite a bit of it, especially for readers who want a full-on Haut-Brion experience..* - 04/2024

Vinous.com – (96-98) pts – NM: *The 2023 Haut-Brion was picked at the same time as the La Mission Haut-Brion, albeit the secateurs sheathed one day later, on October 6. The nose is less immediate than the La Mission and the fruit is a little darker: blackcurrant, juniper, hints of black olive and a light cedar scent. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip and tension. This has superb energy, presenting a crescendo of flavors toward a complex and persistent finish that lingers in the mouth. There is real pedigree to this First Growth, and it will certainly give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure.* - 04/2024

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (97-99) pts – JL: *Even the nose is vibrant this year. You instantly sense it in the perfume with its flowers, red currants, smoke, spice, and cherries. The wine is powerful, yet reserved, long, intense, silky, and vivacious. The fruit has this lift that elevates on the palate. There is richness, elegance, and purity here. But, what is most striking is that on the palate, the wine moves in every direction, covering both sides, as well as the roof of your mouth as the wealth of fruit lingers for over 60 seconds. Part of the success of the vintage is due to July, with its cloudy skies, providing protection from the sun, helping to keep ABV levels down. There is also less green harvesting taking place this year. It is important to note that not only are the harvest dates becoming earlier here, they are also finishing later. More attention is paid to finding phenolic maturity on a parcel by harvest basis, adding nuance and balance. In the cellars, the extraction was soft, at lower temperatures, adding the elegance in the wine. The wine blends 52.3% Merlot, 38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9.1% Cabernet Franc, 14.6% ABV. 3.7 pH. Harvesting took place, September 4 - October 4. Only 42% of the harvest was placed into the grand Vin. Drink from 2030-2065.* - 05/2024