Chateau Haut Brion
Chateau Haut Brion

Chateau Haut Brion

Haut Brion is the only property from outside the Médoc to be included in the 1855 Classification. After falling into a state of disrepair the estate was purchased in 1935 by Clarence Dillon, an American financier, and ever since has enjoyed a steady and continual resurgence to a position of pre-eminence.

The vineyard is planted to 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc. Production is smaller than the other First Growth Wines, totalling about 20,000 cases, shared between the Grand Vin and a second wine formerly called Bahans-Haut-Brion but changed in 2007 to Clarence de Haut-Brion, in recognition of Clarence Dillon's responsibility for its resurgence.
Fermentation of the red wines takes place in stainless steel vats, after which the wine will spend 22 months, sometimes more, in new oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered.
The style of the Haut Brion is such that it displays text-book Graves characteristics of cigar-box, curranty fruit, earth, smoky spice and cassis. The high Merlot content, compared to the Médoc First Growths, gives it a voluptuous edge.