Our exploration of first growth wines continues with the Château Haut-Brion, a historically significant wine even among the giants of the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.
Chateau Haut-Brion
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CHATEAU HAUT-BRION |
| Area: 126 acres Region: Graves (Pessac)
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COMPOSITION |
| Cabernet Sauvignon (40-50%) Merlot (40-45%) Cabernet Franc (10-15%)
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ADDITIONAL INFO |
| Aged for 18 to 22 months 10,000 to 12,000 cases produced per vintage |
Of the five (once four) wines in the Bordeaux Classification, only Haut-Brion is produced outside of the Medoc region: specifically, in Graves, the south-westerly region on the west bank of the Garonne. Interestingly, though the famous Medoc château are exceptions, as the Medoc was largely marshland until drained in the 17th Century. Graves meanwhile has always been important among Bordeaux’s red wines, and the omission of many significant wines would eventually lead to the 1953 Graves Classification.
With viticulture taken as a matter of course in Graves back into antiquity and various successful vineyards on the site in the 14th and 15th Centuries, the Château Haut-Brion story truly began with the Pontacs. Jean de Pontac established the ancestor of the modern Vineyard and built the Haut-Brion château building, which stands to this day. The men who succeeded him through to the 17th Century cultivated the wine’s reputation. Haut-Brion was known to have found favour with English King Charles II, and was therefore one of the earliest Bordeaux wines to court consumers over the Channel.
As with Château Margaux, Haut-Brion was a hit with Thomas Jefferson and has the distinction of being the earliest recorded first growth wine imported to the United States of America (Jefferson had six cases of wine sent to his Virginian estate). In the 19th Century, Haut Brion’s position as a first growth wine was indisputable: it was consistently the most expensive of all.
But contemporary to the troubles with Margaux in the early 20th century, Haut-Brion saw a decline that it would ultimately need to rebound from. Château Haut-Brion’s neighbour, Château La Mission Haut-Brion was particularly successful at this time, furthering the sense that something had to be done about Bordeaux wine classification and eventually paving the way for the 1953 Graves Classification.
Unlike Margaux, Haut-Brion’s form returned sooner rather than later, when American Banker Clarence Dillon purchased the Château in 1935, and before any real damage could be done to its reputation. Innovation has kept the Château relevant: whilst still aged in new oak barrels for around 22 months, Haut-Brion is known for being initially fermented in stainless steel vats. This allows for greater consistency from year to year.
In the last decade or so, demand for Haut-Brion has been relatively subdued when compared to the other Bordeaux château. But whenever there is a lull in market interest, there’s the potential for massive gains and Château Haut-Brion remains a lucrative investment wine.
The First Growth Wines Series
Part One: Château Lafite-Rothschild
Part Two: Château Latour
Part Three: Château Margaux
Part Four: Château Haut-Brion
Part Five: Château Mouton-Rothschild
