Château Haut-Brion 2001

Haut-Brion’s 2001, which was bottled late (the end of September, 2003), possesses an unmistakable nobility as well as a burgeoning complexity. Plum/purple to the rim, this blend of 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc is playing it close to the vest, having closed down considerably after bottling. Nevertheless, it reveals pure notes of sweet and sour cherries, black currants, licorice, smoke, and crushed stones. Medium-bodied with excellent purity, firm tannin, and an angular, structured finish, it requires 5-7 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020+.

Intense aromas of violets, berries and spices follow through to a full-bodied palate, with layers of supersilky tannins and a long, long finish. Very classic in style. All in elegance and length. I like it better than the 2000. Best after 2009. 1,000 cases imported.

This charming wine was unfortunately overshadowed by the epic vintage just prior, yet the dark ruby colour and complex, savoury nose show a wine of breed and class that has the substance to age. High-toned cherry and red plum fruit aromas have oak spice, earth and cedar accents. The texture is firm and fresh, with plenty of acidity and enough stuffing to linger pleasantly on the finish. There is a slight dominance of Merlot in the blend at 52%, and the wine is aged in 75% new casks before bottling in October 2003.

I really like the cigar store nuances, with hints of smoke, tobacco leaf, ash and red fruit. Medium-bodied, fresh and charming, this lighter, brighter, red berry focused vintage is probably at close to its peak.

The 2001 Château Haut-Brion is fabulous stuff, with a mature yet lively style in its ripe black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco, and spicy wood-like nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has a round, layered mouthfeel, beautifully integrated tannins, and no hard edges. In short, it's a thrilling, mature Haut-Brion that's drinking at point today. It should continue evolving gracefully, yet there's no need to delay gratification at this point. The 2001 is 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc, pulled from just 50% of the total production.

Dull purple, with a very fine hint of maturity. The nose opens on mushroom notes, with a slight musty/closed-off edge, then bakelite, smoke, shoe leather and soy sauce. On the palate, after that somewhat questionable start on the nose, it recovers with aeration. It is both powerful and gentle, the tannins still mellow, and the finish lingers on dark aromas, dominated by tar, currants and licorice. Is this great Haut-Brion currently going through a pubescent phase? One can hope so. The potential is/would be very good, but the aromatic profile on the nose raises questions. We had four identical bottles to compare. Potential rating:

02: Barrel sample: 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc. Due to the rain at the end of September, the last Cabernet pickings were declassified. Hence a Haut-Brion with a relatively high proportion of Merlot: dark garnet with violet and ruby glints, overall suggesting medium depth. A noble, delicate bouquet—perfectly harmonious—with a dreamlike interplay of floral and fruity tones, underpinned by fine oak and dark toasted notes. Velvety, plush palate; the tannins are rounded yet elegant, blending into a warm, extremely concentrated fruit profile: black cherries, ripe cassis and sweet licorice. Licorice carries through into a gently tobacco-tinged finish showing a rich, intense, age-demanding astringency. A perfectly balanced Haut-Brion, containing exactly what one expects from a great wine of this estate: finesse and power! (18/20). 07: Medium-dark, still plenty of ruby-purple reflections at the rim. Delicate bouquet with perfumed toasted notes, ripe fruit, cedar scent, Dominican tobacco; subtle on entry and signaling finesse. On the palate, sweet, plummy, expansive. Buttery coconut sweetness; fuller-bodied and easier to grasp than the “complicated” 2000. A Pessac beauty, and there is no doubt this wine will be truly great and attractive in as little as 5 years. 09: Quite dark Bordeaux red, purple rim. Delicious bouquet: black peppercorns, lots of cedarwood, dark tobacco, licorice and black berries—noble and only slowly opening. Refined palate, very elegant ripe tannins, everything perfectly aligned; the astringency is well distributed and supports its class. This wine, too, resembles its own 1985, as was already the case with Château Margaux. So there must be certain parallels here. (19/20). 11: Delicate bouquet, lots of cedar, caramel and rock candy; the nose is multifaceted and full of finesse. On the palate, a gentle, creamy flow, very harmonious; long, absolutely harmonious finish. Soon it will take off. (19/20). 13: At the moment it doesn’t give much. The acidity seems more dominant than the rest of the body. Only after half an hour do walnut tones and a bit of tobacco emerge. But as written at the outset: rather restrained. Do not touch! (19/20). 14: Matte, dense garnet with a ruby sheen. Delicately sweet bouquet: lots of red cherries, pale precious woods, Dominican tobacco, fine smoky nuances; a feminine approach in a nose that remains seductive. Delicate, filigreed palate, again wrapped in plenty of finesse, showing that the best 2001s sit very close to their 2000 counterparts. That isn’t really the case here (yet?) because the 2000 is already almost an “über-wine.” Needs at least another 10 years to reach a first stage of enjoyable maturity. (19/20). 16: Matte purple, showing a very fine hint of development. The nose begins with mushroomy notes, like a veil of air, with bakelite, smoke, shoe leather and soy sauce underneath. On the palate—after that somewhat questionable start on the nose—it recovers with air. It is powerful and gentle at once; the tannins still somewhat brittle; the finish with black aromas dominated by tar, currants and licorice. Is this great Haut-Brion currently in an adolescent phase? One hopes so. The foundations are/would be very good, but the aromatic profile of the nose raises questions. We had four identical bottles for comparison. Score for this bottle: 18/20. 18: A bad, oxidative bottle at a marathon tasting in Burgenland.

A sweet, spicy, refined, fresh bouquet with plum, tobacco, delicate toasted notes and hints of raspberry seeds. The palate is balanced, silky and fresh, with fine fruit, good tannins, spicy aromatics, a silky structure and a very long, fruity finish. 18/20 drink by 2030.

Fairly pronounced oak on this sample; a very generous wine, yet supple and smooth, with the terroir’s smoky notes already clearly evident, and a salty edge that is very Graves. It is much more enjoyable than the 2000, even if it doesn’t have the same monumental stature.

Complex and deep, the nose is starting to open. This is a Haut-Brion of classic construction, with a tight structure, yet very elegant. It is still far from revealing its potential and gains in depth with air exposure. Beautiful finish, full of brilliance and freshness.

The bouquet of Haut-Brion 2001 is a little more open than usual! It reveals inviting notes of red berries, cinnamon and graphite, followed by a touch of plums. On the palate, it shows a contrast between generous, velvety, well-integrated tannins and a refreshing tension, driven by its acidic structure. Floral and spicy nuances on the finish. Clearly, it is beginning to come into its own… while still offering excellent ageing potential.

Logo on the cork: inverted T (Trescases) Dark, intense, and evolved color. Subtle, fruity nose, surprisingly lively. Supple, fruity, flavorsome and pleasant on the palate, with medium length. Overall, discreet.