The 1999 Château Haut-Brion is intensely aromatic, rich and concentrated. A higher than usual Merlot content (60%) has resulted in a luscious, perfectly honed Haut-Brion with elegant mineral aromas and a unique complexity. Its strength lays in the finish, which is surprisingly long.
We recently (May 22) opened a bottle and were bowled over. This is a monumental 1st growth from a supposedly unfashionable year, we tasted it over 2 hours and watched it evolve slowly with cascading notes of blackcurrant, blueberry, black cherry, caramel and forest floor. Fresh and pure on the palate, with a richness over-laying silky tannins. The finish is extraordinary – lengthy, seductive interwoven with subtle minerality and flavours of cedar and spice. Beautifully pure and generous.