Haut Brion 2017 opteerde voor een klassiek assemblage van 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon en 6% Cabernet Franc met een alcoholgehalte van 14,25%vol. Omwille van zijn ligging plukt Haut Brion altijd vroeg, maar nog nooit duurde de oogst er zo lang: van 31 augustus tot 29 september. Voor Jean-Philippe Delmas is de 2017 het resultaat van een droge, maar frisse zomer. De stijl herinnert hem aan 2001. Volgens hem biedt het meer charme dan 2014 en meer diepte dan 2012. Diep robijnrood tooit het glas. De neus is relatief gesloten met een aards en fruitig karakter van zwart fruit en getorrefieerde koffieboontjes. Hij is opulent met een fluwelen textuur, mondvullende tannine en tonaliteiten van zwarte bes, cassis en zwarte kers, exotisch kruid, mocca en fijne eiktoetsen. Een heerlijke Haut Brion waarvan er 9.900 kistjes worden geproduceerd.
IN DE PERS
94-96 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Mei 2018)
The 2017 Haut-Brion was picked from 31 August to 29 September, the longest harvest ever, matured in 69% new oak with 14.25% alcohol (lower than recent vintages.) It has a more generous bouquet than the La Mission Haut-Brion at this point: black cherries, blueberry, a little confit fruit, hints of warm gravel and clove. It is much more restrained than the previous vintages – cooler and linear. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, nicely structured with more grip in the mouth than the La Mission. What it has in common with the aforementioned is a sense of symmetry. It feels very persistent with a light marine/oyster shell influence on the finish. This probably has the edge over the La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment, but intra-family competitiveness aside, it boils down to a great follow-up to the brilliant 2015 and 2016. Drink 2022-2050.
93-96 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (Mei 2018)
The 2017 Haut-Brion is intriguing. Less powerful and explosive than it can be, in 2017 Haut-Brion makes its case with persistence over heft. Time in the glass brings out attractive suggestions of tobacco, game, bacon fat, iron and wild cherry. It will be interesting to see where the 2017 goes from here. Today, it lacks the visceral thrill that makes the best vintages utterly irresistible, even if the phenomenally long finish is a thing of real beauty. The blend is 53% Merlot, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.3% Cabernet Franc.
97 Jane Anson – decanter.com (April 2018)
A hugely captivating wine, one of the contenders for red of the vintage. There's an incredible plush, dense texture to the fruit here, with just the slightest pulling back on the final section that suggests the damson, cassis and black cherry fruit is not at the full extent of ripeness seen in 2016 and 2015, but there is absolutely no question that this is a successful, rich and well-expressed wine. It's extremely powerful and well constructed, with great tannins and a succulence which grows through the palate. 3.73pH. Drink 2026-2042.
97 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW – robertparker.com (Maart 2020)
A blend of 53% Merlot, 6.3% Cabernet Franc and 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Haut-Brion sashays gracefully out of the glass with fragrant notions of black raspberries, kirsch, dark chocolate, star anise and candied violets with a core of warm red and black currants and a touch of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with red and black fruit layers, superbly supported by firm, ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. Drink 2023-2057.
95-97 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW – robertparker.com (April 2018)
Composed of 53% Merlot, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.3% Cabernet Franc, the very deep purple-black colored 2017 Haut-Brion is a little closed on the nose, revealing fresh blackberries, black currants and dark chocolate with suggestions of pencil shavings, beef drippings, tilled soil and cracked black pepper plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it has very firm, ripe, grainy tannins and a lively backbone structuring the tightly knit earth and black fruit layers, finishing with compelling mineral and perfumed layers.
95-96 James Suckling – jamessuckling.com (Maart 2018)
A tight and focused red with dark-berry, chocolate and hazelnut character. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a linear and fine finish. Very refined. Elegant and balanced.
17,5-18/20 Julia Harding MW – jancisrobinson.com (April 2018)
Colour of black cherries with healthy crimson rim. Warm oak spice over cool dark fruit. Succulent, mouth-watering and so supple. There's a core of pure black fruit and an elegance in both non-sweet fruit and fine-boned structure but all with a discreet generosity. Needs time to meld but it's magnetic in its attraction. Perhaps a little less rich than La Mission but more intense and persistent at this stage. Drink 2027-2047.
94-96 Jeb Dunnuck – jebdunnuck.com (April 2018)
The top wine, and unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, the 2017 Haut Brion checks in as 53% Merlot, 40.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It’s cut from the same cloth as the Le Clarence de Haut Brion, only with the intensity, richness, and structure turned up. Cold fireplace, smoked earth, black currants, and truffle notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, dense, concentrated and surprisingly structured 2017 that stays perfectly balanced and elegant on the palate. It doesn’t have the sheer breadth of the 2015 and 2016, yet is classic Haut Brion all the way. It should match or exceed the 2014.
95 Jean-Marc Quarin – quarin.fr (April 2018)
18-19/20 Revue des Vins de France – rvf.com (April 2018)
97-99 Roger Voss – wineenthusiast.com (April 2018)
Haut BrionHaut Brion is één van de oorspronkelijke Premiers Grands Crus Classés de 1855 en één van 's werelds meest vermaarde Châteaux.
Ondanks een bewogen geschiedenis tijdens de Franse Revolutie, de phylloxéra en de bezetting, is de standvastigheid van Haut Brion op alle vlak opmerkelijk. De Amerikaanse financier Clarence Dillon kocht Haut Brion in 1935 en zijn achterkleinzoon, Prince Robert de Luxemburg, verzorgt vandaag de algemene leiding. Ook de wijnmakers houden van traditie: Jean-Philippe Delmas volgt zijn vader en grootvader op in deze rol. Op zuiver kwalitatief vlak is Haut Brion de meest consistente van alle Premiers. 1945, 1964, 1989, 2009 en 2010 haalden perfecte parkerscores.
In oppervlakte is Haut Brion de kleinste Premier Grand Cru Classé. Voor de rode wijn gebruiken ze 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot en 15% Cabernet Franc. De witte wijn bestaat uit Sauvignon Blanc en Sémillon. De tweede wijnen zijn Clarence Haut Brion in rood en Clarté de Haut Brion in wit. De wijngaard is omgeven door de Bordelese agglomeratie. | |
