Haut Brion 2020 1.5L

Château Haut-Brion 2020 reveals a captivating dark, radiant red hue, setting the stage for a sensory experience of depth and intensity. The nose is a delightful interplay of freshness and spice, a prelude to the wine's aromatic richness. Upon swirling, the impeccable ripeness of the grapes is confirmed, exhibiting a perfect balance without excess. The initial taste is a testament to precision, tightly-knit and assertive from the outset. The wine unfolds on the palate with a remarkable presence that is both commanding and nuanced. The development is a graceful journey, never forceful but consistently impactful. Tactile sensations are complemented by an array of flavors, revealing the harmonious collaboration of the three grape varieties—Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The well-rounded, refined, and juicy tannins contribute to an excellent length that persists even after the wine has left the palate. The symphony created by these grape varieties forms an incredibly accurate and harmonious musical score, marking Château Haut-Brion 2020 as an exemplar of precision and finesse.

Robert Parker - 99 Points

"The 2020 Haut-Brion is more aromatically demonstrative than La Mission Haut-Brion, bursting with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with licorice, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's rich and layered, with an enveloping core of fruit that's girdled by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin. Despite checking in at a similarly lofty alcoholic degree to the 2019, its more granular tannic profile tempers the vintage's sweetness of fruit and lends the wine a more classically proportioned, and more classically structured, profile."

Antonio Galloni - 96 Points

"The 2020 Haut-Brion has a smorgasbord of red and black fruit on the nose, Indian ink and pressed violets, touches of undergrowth (morels?) emerging with time in the glass. There is just a note of reduction here. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fresh and saline, with hints of black olive and white pepper. A lingering, very controlled, black pepper tinged finish is very harmonious and understated - remarkable given the 15% alcohol, slightly higher than La Mission. Excellent…but I am not convinced that would put it in the top tier of this First Growth…at least, not yet."