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Château Haut-Brion is the oldest of Bordeaux's five first growths, and one of the most famous wines in the world. Located in Pessac-Léognan, south of the city of Bordeaux, the château is rather far removed from its counterparts, all of which are found in the Médoc.
The vineyards were established in the 1530s by the Pontac family, changing hands several times throughout the ensuing centuries. Historical evidence shows that Haut-Brion was drunk by King Charles II and Thomas Jefferson, and the famous London diarist Samuel Pepys was also a fan of the wine. The estate was acquired by American Francophile Clarence Dillon in 1935 and has been managed by the family since.
Haut-Brion is notable as being the only first growth in Graves – Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour are all in Pauillac, while Château Margaux is – perhaps not surprisingly – in Margaux. Haut-Brion's red wine is its key line, comprising most of the château's output, but it is also unusual in that it has a corresponding white wine that shares the simple "Haut-Brion" name. The château's second wine has been known as La Clarence de Haut-Brion since 2007.
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blanc |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1985 |
| Rating | 97 RP |
| Bottle Size | 750 ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 1 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Location | Pessac Leognan |
| Producer | Haut Brion |
| Color | White |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Rating | 97 RP - 1985 Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc Bordeaux - 97 pts! This has been a head turner since it was made. The 1985 is unbelievably rich, with a velvety, fat consistency oozing with herb, melon, and fig-like fruit. This voluptuously textured wine exhibits great length, richness, and character. It never closed up after bottling and remains an exceptionally full-bodied, intensely concentrated, yet well-delineated white Graves. If you have the income of a rock superstar, this would be worth having to fete the turn of the century. RP |
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| Varietal | Bordeaux Blanc |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1985 |
| Rating | 97 RP |
| Bottle Size | 750 ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 1 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Location | Pessac Leognan |
| Producer | Haut Brion |
| Color | White |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blanc |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1985 |
| Rating | 98 RP |
| Bottle Size | 750 ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 1 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Location | Pessac Leognan |
| Producer | Haut Brion |
| Color | White |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blanc |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1985 |
| Rating | 98 RP |
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| Region | Bordeaux |
| Location | Pessac Leognan |
| Producer | Haut Brion |
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| Robert Parker Rating | 98 RP - The 1985 Château Haut Brion Blanc is candidate for the best dry white Bordeaux produced that decade - period. Having tasted this nectar two or three times in recent months, I can vouch for its extraordinary intensity on the nose: candied orange peel, citrus lemon, cold wet limestone and honeysuckle notes that shimmer in the glass. It almost has a Chablis-like penetration—imagine if Raveneau made white Bordeaux. The palate is perfectly balanced and after 30 years, it as fresh as a daisy, citrus fresh, with a killer line of mineralité, squeezed lime and an almost slate-like note (try licking some to see what I mean—no one will look). The tension, the depth and length of this Haut Brion Blanc are as good as you will find...if you can find it nowadays. Simply breathtaking, anyone with bottles in their cellar will be handsomely rewarded for their patience. |
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| Antonio Galloni Rating | 98 AG - The 1985 Haut-Brion Blanc is one of my favourite vintages in recent years. This bottle does not disappoint. Youthful in colour, it maintains that disarming intensity on the nose that knocks you sideways: cold wet limestone, sea cave, honeysuckle and this bottle showing a touch of quince. Previously I made comparisons towards Chablis, although this maybe too rich and decadent. The palate offers stunning balance with citrus lemon and that killer, flint-like tension that drives the finish. Ah, now we are talking Chablis! It is a phenomenal, almost effervescent, life-affirming, stellar Haut-Brion Blanc that stands alongside the 1989 as one of the best ever. Tasted at home in Guildford. |
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