Scores
97
Robert Parker
The 2021 Haut-Brion confirms its fine showing en primeur, cementing its status as one of the wines of the vintage. Its complex bouquet of dark berries and cassis mingled with notions of cigar wrapper and burning embers unfurls in the glass. Full-bodied, deep and velvety, it’s concentrated and layered with a multidimensional core of fruit, sweet tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Reflecting the timeless elegance of Haut-Brions from cooler years, the 2021 will delight Bordeaux purists.
96
Vinous
The 2021 Haut-Brion has a more extravagant, charming bouquet compared directly with the La Mission at the moment, offering copious blackberry, black truffle, undergrowth and menthol scents. The palate is very well balanced, harmonious and poised, with fine-grained tannins and an almost pixelated finish. This Haut-Brion seems to have reveled in the cooler growing season, and at 13.8% alcohol, there is almost a degree less than recent vintages. Jean-Philippe Delmas has fashioned a contender for wine of the vintage.
98
James Suckling
A very structured young Haut-Brion with blackberry, blackcurrant, black-olive and mushroom character. Medium to full-bodied with a driving balance of firm and ripe tannins and gorgeous fruit. 50.3% merlot, 38% cabernet sauvignon and 11.7% cabernet franc.
97
Decanter
Scented flowers and red berries on the nose, lovely aromatics with green peppercorns, herbal blackcurrant leaf and floral scents. Rich and round for a 2021, high acidity gives the life-force but this has a great structure in the mouth. Quite imposing tannins cover the entire tongue and cheeks, and I love it. Grippy, focused, this is one of the more demonstrative 2021 wines in terms of texture and power, but still keeps precision and direction. Chalky grip, a mineral undertone and feeling of substance on the finish. Allow a few more years before starting on this.