Grand Vin Pessac-Léognan 1990

The only non-Médoc estate to be included in the famous 1855 classification, Château Haut-Brion’s viticultural history can be traced back further than its Médoc first growth counterparts. Located in the bustling commercial suburb of Pessac, Haut-Brion was purchased by the American family Dillon in 1935 when it was in a considerably poor condition, the family invested greatly in the estate and today this property is one of the showpiece estates of Graves. At Haut-Brion wines are fermented in stainless steel vats, after which the wine will spend 22 months, sometimes more, in new oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered.

“A profound Haut-Brion and one of the great Haut-Brion’s of the last 25 years, this wine got somewhat lost in the enormous shadow cast by the immortal 1989. It continues to go from strength to strength and is actually more evolved than the 1989, but showing the classic Haut-Brion scorched earth, fragrant smoked herbs, tobacco sweet currant, fig and black currant nose. A very opulent, voluptuously textured wine with full body, great concentration, superb purity, low acidity and very sweet, seamlessly integrated tannin, the wine is already showing great complexity and accessibility, and is extremely difficult to resist. Anticipated maturity; now-2020.’’ 98points, Robert Parker.