1st Grand Cru Classé in 1855
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The Château Haut-Brion enjoys a reputation dating 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 parliamentary official in Bordeaux, received it by marriage and began construction of Château in 1549, while increasing the size of the vineyard. Served at the tables of the kings of England as attested to in a 1660 archive, Château was the first to appear under its vintage name, "Ho Bryan" as expressed in 1663 by Samuel Pepys, a member of the English Parliament, in his diary.
During the famous 1855 classification, Château Haut-Brion was the only Domaine from the Graves region to appear in it, as the Ist 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 the American banker Clarence Dillon and run today by his descendant, Prince Robert of Luxembourg, Château Haut-Brion is based on a gravel vineyard of 51 hectares : 48ha in red dedicated to the production of the grand vin and Second wine, 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% Semillon and 47% Sauvignon blanc).
The great red wine of Château Haut-Brion is a wine of extraordinary intensity, complex and with a velvety power that leaves its mark. As for the white wine it produces, it is said to be the greatest white wine Sec of Bordeaux, mineral and smooth.
The 2006 vintage had a contrasted climate in Bordeaux, but gave birth to red wines of great potential. The spring and summer were warm and dry in general, thus favoring a good development of the vines. The full maturity of the different grape varieties was reached at the cost of many efforts of adaptation and technical choices on the part of the teams of Château Haut-Brion.
Blend of the 2006 vintage: 57% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
The color is still a very pronounced red, dark, with tints of tile.
The nose is deliciously expressive and fruity, with aromas of wild berries and currants followed by notes of cigar box, truffle and Zan.
The attack is elegant, and the wine reveals controlled power, complexity and freshness. It is carried on exquisite fruity and toasted flavors, wrapped in wonderfully melted tannins. It lasts a long time, until it blooms on an interminable and racy finish. A great wine, for sure.
Food and wine pairing:
Chateau Haut-Brion 2006 will be wonderful with beef steak with foie gras and porcini mushrooms, veal tournedos Rossini, roast pigeon with crosnes and trumpets, and pheasant ravioli.
To enjoy it with cheese, choose uncooked pressed cheeses: Edam, Gouda, Saint-nectaire or Salers.
For dessert, it will be particularly exquisite on Pierre Hermé's carrément chocolat, a praline crunch or a Paris-Brest style layer cake.
Ageing potential and tasting :
Château Haut-Brion 2006 is a great nectar that can wait between 2026 and 2030 to be at its best. However, it can be enjoyed today, if you take care to place the bottle in the room at room temperature the day before, and to open and decant it at least 5 to 6 hours before tasting.
The bottles will be kept in the cellar, protected from light, lying down, at an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
