Jean-Bernard Delmas thinks this wine is quite supple but I found it the most backward of any I tasted in Bordeaux this spring. Amazingly the dominant grape is Merlot (51 per cent) with 40 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest, nine per cent, Cabernet Franc. It's thick, dark, blackish purple and still extremely reticent. Dry, sappy, savoury, inky almost monstrous were some of my tasting notes. Enormous in structure. Extremely serious - no tricks or flattery here - I'd guess it will mature much more slowly than most Haut-Brions. There is a certain ripe suppleness on the very front of the palate but that is soon swamped at the moment by the rigour and backbone of all that sappy tannin. (18 points)
JANCIS ROBINSON
Whether it's a coincidence, or because in relatively cool years the first-growth terroirs are brilliant, Haut-Brion has turned out a beautifully classic, medium-bodied, precise and focused 2002 boasting a deep ruby/purple color as well as strikingly elegant aromatics (crushed stones, plums, black cherries, currants, figs, and earth). The wine possesses impressively measured power and elegance offered in a medium-bodied, nicely-structured, exceptionally pure format. It is unusual for Haut-Brion to dominate La Mission Haut-Brion at such a young age, but it certainly does in the 2002 vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2024
Wine Advocate # 149
Oct 2003 Robert Parker
Country:
France
Region:
France- Bordeaux Left Bank
Variety:
Wine Red - Cabernet blend
Size:
750mL
