2016 Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan

“Stunning black fruit with plenty of forest berries in there, the whole picture cool and very delicate, also on the concentrated and highly structured palate. The tannins are very fine-grained, but decisively austere and, together with the vibrant acidity, they propel the finish out towards infinity and leave a breathtaking final impression. A blend of 56 per cent merlot, 37.5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5 percent Cabernet Franc. Very long aging potential, but you could try it in 2023.” (02/2019)

“Composed of 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6.5% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Haut-Brion is deep garnet in color. The nose beings with simple licorice notes before slowly unfurling to deliver growing scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, dark chocolate, and lilacs, followed by suggestions of crushed rocks, tar, black truffles and cardamom. The full-bodied palate is a tightly coiled spring, taut with black fruit preserves and earthy layers and framed by very firm, grainy tannins, delivering a burst of freshness to carry the long, long, long finish. This will need a good 7-10 more years to fully blossom, and it will be well worth the wait.” (12/2022)

“The 2016 Haut-Brion is quite possibly even more magnificent from bottle than it was from barrel. Powerful and rich, yet not at all heavy, the 2016 is a wine of nearly indescribable beauty. Haut-Brion is often a thrilling wine, but it is rarely this finessed in its youth. Gravel, cure meat, tobacco and cedar are some of the many nuances that develop with air, but it is an extraordinary sense of harmony that really stands out. What a wine! (AG)” (01/2019)

“Immensely tannic, this is a great Haut-Brion, one of the finest for many years. It shows the severe side of this estate, with a dense structure to match the powerful black fruits. Rich with berry flavors and lifted by enough acidity, the wine will age for many years. *Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2019* (RV)” (05/2019)

“A blend led by Merlot this year, at 56%, with 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5% Cabernet Franc, a blend not that far from that at some leading right-bank properties. The élevage here was in 78% new oak, and the finished wine was bottled in June 2018. The aromatics here are dark, fragrant and surprisingly perfumed, almost in the style of La Mission, with a sprinkling of chalk dust and white flower petals sitting alongside darker and more brooding notes of black fruits, in particular smoked black cherry, damson and currant, along with praline oak notes and a matchsticky freshness. It feels beautifully textured at the start, confident and plush, but also reserved, elegant and not overstated. It remains very composed through the middle, beautifully polished, with a very refined frame in the midpalate, where the tannins are so tightly knit they barely seem present, with fresh acids too, but it all works together in harmony here. A very impressive and composed style, brooding but not introverted, with an appellation-defining structure and presence. The finish just lingers on and on, with a charged energy around the tannins. This should be magnificent.” (12/2018)

“As to the reds, the 2016 Haut Brion is a prodigious, legendary wine in the making, although it’s not for those seeking instant gratification. Deeper colored and more concentrated than the La Mission Haut Brion, it reveals a purple/ruby color as well as a sensational bouquet of blackcurrants, cassis, cigar tobacco, cold fireplace, violets, and lead pencil. Deep, masculine, structured, and mineral-laced, it has a stacked mid-palate, full-bodied richness, building tannins, and a firm, blockbuster styled finish that lasts for close to a minute. A wine for the ages, don’t even think about opening bottles for at least 7-8 years. It should keep for half a century. (JD) 98+” (02/2019)

“Large and in charge, this has a prodigious core of steeped plum, black currant and loganberry fruit flavors that show both compote and coulis aspects. While that steeps, this delivers a sturdy frame of roasted mesquite, smoldering tobacco and incense, surrounding a muscular spine of worn cedar and tar. Still rather backward, this will be showing well when most others from the vintage have had their day. *Collectible* (JM)” (03/2019)

“Another glorious wine from the Dillon group. Massively dark in colour, the palate is a wonderful mix of dark fruit, exoticism, violet and lilac flowers on the nose, supremely glossy tannins and polished oak. Some meaty, red earth notes are just starting to emerge. This full-bodied first growth still feels very young but will undoubtedly be a great Haut-Brion for drinking over the next 30+ years. (AH)” (11/2021)