Château Haut Brion - Pessac-Leognan 2011 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

92 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe8/31/2014

Deep ruby.  Complex, soil-driven aromas of redcurrant, dark cherry and raspberry are complicated by exotic notes of Oriental spices and soy sauce.  Rich, tactile and sweet, offering intense, elegant dark fruit and spice flavors lifted by a saline nuance.  Finishes with sweet tannins and lingering saline and smoky notes.  This is deeper and fleshier than the La Mission.

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/2/2014

The unbelievably superb 2011 Haut-Brion (a tiny production of 7,600 cases from a blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Franc) exhibits a classic nose of subtle smoldering embers, warm rocks, black currants, new saddle leather, spice box and high quality, unsmoked cigar tobacco. The color is a dense ruby/purple to the edge, and the wine cuts a serious as well as broad swath across the palate. The most amazing aspect of this terroir is that the wine, despite all its power and richness, literally dances on the palate, as if it were a 90 pound ballerina. This brilliant 2011 should evolve quickly, hitting its prime in 7-8 years, and drink beautifully for 20-25 years.

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2014

This packs some serious density for the vintage, with layers of braised fig, blackberry pâte de fruit and dark currant paste, all inlaid with lively briar, tobacco leaf and roasted apple wood notes. Shows lots of energy through the finish, with the grip generating a mouthwatering feel. One of the stars of the vintage. Best from 2018 through 2035.

Jamessuckling.com

96 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/19/2014

Lots of subtle redcurrant and berry character, with flowers and sweet tobacco on the nose. Full body, super-integrated tannins and a light shaved-chocolate, berry and cedar character. A decadence and beauty to this that wakes you up. Better in 2018.

La Revue du Vin de France

16,5-17,5 / 20

the5/31/2012

Haut-Brion se montre plus dense que la Mission, avec un supplément de chair et de densité apporté par de très beaux cabernets. La part plus importante de cabernet franc (19%) nuance davantage la marque du terroir. 10% de la récolte sont passés dans un troisième vin et la totalité de la production de Haut-Brion est inférieure de 5% à celle du 2010. Dans un esprit plus mûr (fruits noirs), l'ensemble est délicieusement enrobé et charnu en milieu de bouche. S'il dévoile des tanins serrés en finale, son corps est dense et plein.

Le Point

17,5-18 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/17/2012

Fruits noirs, terre, sousbois, bouche vive, charnue, frais, élégant, d'une grande finesse, arrondi et fin, tendu mais enrobé, long, finale épicée. O=2020 G=20 ans

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

92-94 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe5/12/2012

(46% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 19% cabernet franc blend; 3.61 pH): Dark ruby-red. Big, rich and creamy on entry, then tighter and a bit austere in the middle, showing pure cassis, red berry and mineral flavors that carry through nicely on the rising finish. Very fine-grained Haut-Brion with a lingering cocoa nuance. Technical director Masclef noted that the team did shorter cuvaisons of about 15 days, vs. a typical 21, and at slightly lower temperatures too. I think the high-quality cabernet franc here has helped this wine gain a measure of refinement that is not always there in vintages with higher proportions of merlot. Another potentially great Haut Brion, more austere and less fleshy than recent efforts but very classic.

Decanter.com

18,5 / 20

the4/30/2012

Deep velvety red, wild roses bouquet, taffeta smooth texture, great precision and clarity, restrained and aristocratic. Drink 2020-2040.

Wine Advocate

92-95 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2012

Like its stablemate La Mission-Haut-Brion, Haut-Brion’s 2011 production was small, only 7,600 cases, which is nearly 3,000 fewer cases than in 2009. A blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc, it is interesting to taste the 2011 Haut-Brion next to the more open-knit, seductive 2011 La Mission Haut-Brion. The former wine is more firm, backward and earthy with a more formidably structured style. Undeniably elegant, distinctive and original, it exhibits notes of mulberries, plums, blueberries and raspberries. Jean-Philippe Delmas told me that in many ways the 2011 reminds him of the 2008 from an aromatic and structural profile. There is plenty of tannin, and the 2011 has 25-30 years of aging potential. It may be more reminiscent of a vintage such as 1988, but it is better made as well as being the product of a far stricter selection process.

TAST

19-19,5 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2012

Encore une fois un monument de classe naturelle, liée au terroir et de savoir-faire humaine : corps considérable, somptueux socle tannique, ferme mais très élégant dans sa texture, admirable construction en bouche. Le vin de Bordeaux dans toute sa splendeur. Très longue garde prévisible.

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/30/2012

46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc. Extrem dunkles Purpur mit lila und violeten Reflexen. Florales Bouquet, dunkelviolette Rosen, schwarze Beeren, wie beim Mission etwas Teer und Herbsttrüffel. Während die Nase wenig hergibt, ist im Gaumen schon sehr viel Aromatik da, alles im schwarzbeerigen Bereich, Finessen und Dicthe, mittlere Power, klingt lange nach. Charaktervoller Haut-Brion, der aber auch recht viel Weibliches zeigt. Der vielleicht beste Premier des Jahrgangs. 2024-2055

The Wine Cellar Insider

94-95 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/27/2012

From a blend of 46.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34.8% Merlot and 18.9% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached13.3% alcohol. With a beautiful ruby hue, the wine offers espresso, burnt earth, boysenberry, floral, cassis and truffle. This polished, classic, fresh, sweet, ripe, cassis loaded wine has the tannins to age and will require time. 94-95 Pts

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/27/2012

The Haut Brion is a blend of 34.8% Merlot, 18.9% Cabernet Franc and 46.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. The bouquet has a little more thrust than the La Mission with a little more opulence, although perhaps not the same degree of clarity and showing slightly more alcohol (but nothing to get concerned about.) It has good weight, firm rigid tannins and a weightier framework than La Mission. It is concentrated and generous with very good focus, a crescendo of flavours towards the finish and very good grip. A masterful Haut-Brion that is more voluminous than La Mission at present. Tasted April 2012

Asian Palate

93-94 / 100

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe4/20/2012

There is wonderful density and depth in this wine, but also a firm wall of tannins that make Haut Brion much less expressive at this stage than La Mission. There are many wines in this tannic vintage like Haut Brion that deserve to be re-tasted before bottling when a better sense of its true personality will emerge. The cedar box, earthy, dried Chinese red date flavours are restrained and the flavours are very tightly wound. The wine is promising with a long length, but patience will be required for this wine.

Jancis Robinson

18,5 / 20

byJulia Harding MWthe4/20/2012

Drink 2020-2040
34.8% Merlot, 18.9% Cabernet Franc, 46.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Berries not as ripe as 2010 so they extracted shorter and faster to get tannins from skins not from seeds. The optical sorter came into its own, rejecting 5-7% of fruit across the board, in addition to all the other manual sorting that preceded it. There were different coloured berries on the same bunch and some rot at the end of September. Deep black cherry colour. Warm sweet cherry fruit, with the most chocolate-smooth (and in no way thick) tannins but also the acidity of fresh fruit too, fresh cherry. Very fine, intense and aromatic red fruit with just a touch of graphite. There's density and richness on the middle but such amazing softness though the tannins give tension underneath like closely packed bed springs. Like falling into a deep feather cover on a firm bed. So long. (JH) 13.3%

Wine Spectator

93-96 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/10/2012

Manages to harness the angularity of the vintage extremely well, almost burying the acidity in the core of cassis, black cherry skin, plum pit and maduro tobacco flavors. This is typically among the most backward wines of the vintage when young, and it's still tight and primal, but with admirable length and density already. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Tasted non-blind.—J.M.

Wine Enthusiast

94-96 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/6/2012

An impressively silky wine. Dry yet intensely fruity, the palate shows big fruit, smooth tannins and a perfumed character. —R.V.

Jamessuckling.com

94-95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/1/2012

Complex aromas of brown sugar, sweet tobacco and dark fruits. Turns to hints of prunes and cocoa. Full-bodied, with ultra fine tannins and a wonderful length. Refined and silky. Beautiful balance. Such wonderful length. Turns chewy yet very polished.