Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan rouge 2020 - 1er Grand Cru Classé

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Haut-Brion's 2020 (43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc) more than lives up to its lofty reputation. Draped in a dark but brilliant color, it reveals a nose of rare complexity: cappuccino, faded rose, pepper, menthol notes, perfectly ripened black fruits, a touch of smoke... From the first taste, it displays its solid presence, without reserve, with strength and aplomb, but without any aggressiveness, carried by tannins that are at once firm, precise and refined, with the added bonus of an immense finish full of mineral freshness, with stony tones. A lord. 2030-2050

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Haut-Brion 2020 is more aromatically demonstrative than La Mission Haut-Brion, brimming with blackberry and raspberry aromas mixed with hints of 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 girdled by plenty of soft, powdery tannins. Despite a similar alcohol level to the 2019, its grittier tannic profile tempers the sweetness of the vintage's fruit and gives the wine more classic proportions and structure. 2030-2065

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

"The only property outside the Médoc to have been included in the 1855 classification, Château Haut-Brion has a second distinctive feature: it is totally enclosed within the town. Its terroir is certainly the earliest in the appellation, and the grapes ripen perfectly here, producing a full-bodied, rich wine that develops inimitable smoky notes as it ages. After a brief, less than stellar period (2000-2005), the cru has just produced three high-flying vintages, including a 2009 that promises to be legendary, and an even more aristocratic 2010."

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

I ended my trip to Bordeaux with Château Haut-Brion 2020, and it was certainly a good ending. Revealing a deep ruby/plum hue, the 2020 presents extraordinary aromas of ripe black fruits, scorched earth, cold chimney and acacia flowers. On the palate, this structured, full-bodied, massively concentrated Pessac builds progressively, with ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a very big finish. Richer and more concentrated than the 2018 and 2019 (there are some similarities with the 2010), this wine is a legend in the making. The blend comprises 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc. All these wines will spend 15 to 18 months in 77% new French oak barrels. Hide the bottles for a decade, and it should evolve for 50 to 75 years. 2033-2093

Yves Beck

About the wine:

In the side-by-side race between Mission and Haut-Brion, who belong to the same family and are therefore brothers rather than enemies, the match is often close. It's no longer a question of which one is the best, but of which one expresses itself in a relevant way, with its own nature and personality. In this respect, Haut-Brion seems to me to be closer to what we know about it. Its acute sense of detail is apparent from the very first scents, while the palate displays remarkable fullness from the outset, surrounded by its tannic framework and a fine bitterness that supports the aromatic expression of the finish. An imposing wine that boasts great cellaring potential. It's a Haut-Brion that's more rectilinear than spherical, with an imposing aromatic persistence. It's very big, and all the signs point to a score that will sooner or later rise to three figures! 2027-2050

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Concentrated, deep, creamy, supple, long and intense, this wine abounds with notes of flowers, spices, chocolate, black cherries, plums, porcini mushrooms, tobacco leaves and white pepper. On the palate, there's a slight degree of heat, but it's mainly the many layers of perfectly ripe, sweet, rich fruit that stand out as they roll across the tongue and coat the palate. The wine has great depth of flavor, length and endless waves of dark fruit and dark red fruit, finishing with a touch of crushed limestone on the finish. The wine is composed of 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.5% Cabernet Franc, with an alcohol content of 15%. 2030-2060

Falstaff

About the wine:

Dark ruby garnet, violet highlights, deep core, delicately lightened rim. Dark wild berries, touch of noble wood, ripe cherries, delicate floral and candied violet fruit nuances, sweet tobacco, very inviting bouquet. Complex, juicy, red berry texture, well integrated, ripe tannins, fine sweetness on the finish, already seems very at peace with itself, great length, an excellent table companion, future assured. 2025-2065