Haut-Brion is the oldest name in fine Bordeaux and the only first growth outside the Médoc. Samuel Pepys drank it in a London tavern in 1663 and wrote the name in his diary, which makes it arguably the first branded wine in history.
Tasting Notes
A harmonious interplay of dark fruit, tobacco and cedar, leading to a refined palate that defines the essence of Pessac-Léognan. What sets Haut-Brion apart from its Médoc peers is a distinctive smoky, earthy, almost warm character that comes from the deep gravel over clay and sand of its terroir, often described as tobacco and hot bricks. It is usually the most immediately seductive of the first growths in youth and one of the longest lived of all.
Quick Facts
- Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
- Origin: France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan (Graves)
- Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé, 1855, the only estate outside the Médoc in the original classification
- Style: Dry red, smoky, earthy, exceptionally long lived
- Terroir: Deep gravel over clay and sand, in what is now the suburbs of Bordeaux city
Food Pairing
Roast beef, lamb, game, truffle dishes, and aged hard cheeses.
Serving
Serve at 17 to 18°C. Decant at least two hours before pouring. Will keep for decades.
About the Producer
Château Haut-Brion is the oldest of the great Bordeaux estates and the only property outside the Médoc to be included in the 1855 classification of first growths. It lies in Pessac-Léognan, now surrounded by the suburbs of Bordeaux itself, on deep gravel soils. The estate has been owned by the Dillon family since 1935.
