Region | |
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Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-LĂ©ognan |
Colour | White |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Haut Brion
Although limited in availability, Haut Brion Blanc is the Rolls Royce of the dry white wines of Graves. The colossal 2003 is super-rich, full-bodied and unctuously-textured with plenty of fig, melon, honeysuckle, and bee's wax characteristics in addition to enormous concentration and a huge finish. Remarkably, the grapes for this cuvee were harvested in mid-August. It should evolve and drink well for 30+ years.
Very lemony, with hints of vanilla and lemon meringue. Full-bodied, long and rich. A beauty. Racy. Exciting.
The earliest harvest since 1893, virtually every dry white 2003 produced in Pessac-Leognan and Graves was harvested between mid-August and early September as the grapes were becoming dehydrated, the sugars high, and the acid levels dangerously low. The greatest dry white of the vintage is undeniably Haut-Brion-Blanc, which was harvested on August 13-14. In contrast to what I expected, this white is not out of balance, yet it possesses more mid-palate as well as higher alcohol and glycerin than usual. However, it is not over the top, being remarkably well balanced and richly fruity, with no evidence of over-ripeness or exoticism.