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The Château Haut-Brion enjoys a reputation that goes back centuries, a model of longevity and excellence resulting from an exceptional terroir. The first traces of Domaine date back to 1525, when Jean de Pontac, a notable member of parliament in Bordeaux, received it by marriage and began building Château in 1549, at the same time increasing the size of the vineyard.
Served at the tables of the kings of England, as attested by a 1660 archive, Château was the first to appear under its cru name, "Ho Bryan", as Samuel Pepys, a member of the English Parliament, put it in his diary in 1663.
In the famous 1855 classification, Château Haut-Brion was the only Domaine from the Graves region to appear, as the 1st Grand Cru Classé, sharing this distinction with four Domaines: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour as well as Château Mouton Rothschild since 1973.
Bought in 1935 by American banker Clarence Dillon and run today by his descendant, Prince Robert du Luxembourg, Château Haut-Brion is based on a 51-hectare gravel vineyard: 48ha in red dedicated to the production of the grand vin and Second vin, Clarence de Haut-Brion (44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 12% Cabernet franc and 2% Petit Verdot), and 3ha in white dedicated to the production of the grand vin blanc Sec (52% Sémillon and 47% Sauvignon blanc).
The grand vin rouge of Château Haut-Brion is a wine of extraordinary intensity, complexity and velvety power. As for the white wine it produces, it is reputed to be Sec de Bordeaux's greatest white wine, mineral and unctuous.
2016 is one of the great vintages of Bordeaux, marked by climatic contrasts but having given birth to sublime nectars. Despite a rainy start to the year, the summer was hot and dry, very beneficial to the development of the vine. Fine rains punctuated the beginning of September, allowing to restart the maturation dynamics of the grapes. Finally, the alternation of warm days and cool nights until October gave birth to a high quality harvest.
Blend of the 2016 vintage: 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc
The robe is a deep purple color, tinged with brilliant purple highlights.
The nose is particularly harmonious and complex, revealing aromas of black fruits, blackberry and raspberry, which give way to beautiful scents of violet, menthol and eucalyptus.
On the palate, it is dense and juicy, evolving on a rich and fleshy body with lots of fruity and spicy flavors. The tannins are elegant and finely chiseled, constantly embellishing its structure. The finish is long, with great freshness, what nobility.
Food and wine pairing:
Château Haut-Brion 2016 will be perfect on a lamb mouse confit with garlic, or the famous suckling lamb of Pauillac. Enjoy it also with a tournedos of beef with truffle sauce, a vol au vent of quail with morels or hazelnuts of venison with grilled potatoes.
As for cheese, choose the ones with uncooked pressed paste: Cantal, Saint-nectaire, Morbier or Tomme de Savoie.
Finish by savoring it with a chocolate dessert, such as a mi-cuit, a whipped cream or a black forest cake.
Cellaring potential and tasting:
Château Haut-Brion 2016 en impériale is a great wine for aging by excellence, able to wait several decades in the cellar to reach its peak between 2040 and 2050. Indeed, the large capacity of the bottle allows the wine to have a greater aging potential.
However, it can very well be prepared today for tasting, taking care to open the bottle the night before, having placed it in the serving room at room temperature.
The bottles will be kept in the cellar protected from the light, lying down, with an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
