Château Haut-Brion: 2006, 1998, 1995, 1994, 1990 & 1988

The usual suspects convened at Imperial Treasure Great World on 25 June 2024 for an excellent Haut-Brion vertical comprising wines mostly from the previous century. If there is an irrefutable truth, it would be that there is no such thing as a bad Haut-Brion, as borne out by that evening’s line-up and all those glorious drops I have had over the years. Merci beaucoup, gentlemen!

Champagne Ullens Brut NV. Luminous gold. Cool lift of gentle yeasty tones and white incense. Good balance. Dryish with crisp refined intensity, developing chromatic chalky tones over time with a minerally tinge.

2008 Champagne Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, courtesy of LF. Lovely golden hue, exuding a lovely rounded bouquet matched by a crisp clear expanse of white tones within a sheen of very soft bubbles, glowing with a distilled chalky intensity. Highly refined, boasting aristocratic breed.

2018 Domaine Marc Morey et Fils Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Delicate lift of faint white floral bloom, slightly tropical, with a lovely rounded presence that offers fine clarity. Better in definition over time, well balanced with seamless white tones and cool icing.

2018 Hubert Lamy Chassagne-Montrachet Le Concis du Champs, courtesy of Kieron. Pale luminosity, proffering a general restraint with a distant salinity on the medium palate. Distinctly reductive, though it opened up with greater detail and more yellow fruits to the fore. Good balance, not heavy at all. Drinking well.

2006 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Sir Bob. Aired for six hours prior with further decanting on-site. Deep purple. Highly enticing bouquet of deep dark delicious currants amid traces of vanillin. Rather fullish, entering into its secondary development with early notes of kumquat, structured with svelte tannins and sublime acidity that impart sweet juicy succulence and supple intensity. Highly integral, but still youthful. Huge potential here.

1998 Château Haut-Brion. Aired in bottle for almost three hours. Deep crimson. Very inviting nose of red currants, mulberries and dark fruits, still laced with a hint of vanillin. The medium palate is open and highly supple, its sleek acidity and smooth unobtrusive tannins imparting refined intensity with a delicate lift, developing further plush textures with a characteristic inner core of kumquat. Superbly integral, though probably yet to attain peak maturity.

1995 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Kieron. Lovely crimson. The bouquet is absolutely stunning in its highly aromatic feminine fragrance coupled with a certain pebbly warmth. Utterly beguiling, though the open medium-weight palate is considerably more restrained, very beautifully integrated across the superb depth of fruit, slick acidity and silky tannins into an irresistible svelte succulence, maintaining a controlled verve and intensity throughout its glorious length. Probably out-drinking the 1996 at this stage. Outstanding!

1994 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Vic. Evolved crimson. Somewhat funky on the nose at first though the fleshy palate is absolutely pristine in every way, still rather fullish, boasting immaculate balance with an open intensity of ripe blueberries and dark currants that offer superb detail and refinement. It turned much more minerally after several hours with a prominence of earthy ferrous elements, the fruit distinctly darker in tone. Doesn’t quite possess that plush succulence of the best vintages but it is always a pleasure to re-visit this cult vintage of Haut-Brion. At its best but will not improve further.

1990 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Sir Bob. Displaying beautiful translucent hues of crimson, this wine opens with fragrant rosy tones that merged seamlessly with the subtle earthiness and tertiary characters caught at full maturity. Highly integral and agile, displaying elegant verve within the fluid layers of fruit. Still wonderfully fresh and vibrant. At its best and will continue to hold for many years.

1988 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of LF. Orangey-crimson. Rather restrained at first though it evolved quite rapidly with an irresistible earthy pungency. Very elegantly agile, subtly layered with great fluidity that tapered with a bit of svelte intensity towards its fine finish. Still remarkably fresh. Doesn’t yield that much inner detail but it is highly integral, avoiding any hint of vegetal burliness that is often a symptom of this vintage.