We just received the 2020 St Emilion Grand Cru Chateau Haut Brisson. This has been a hugely popular wine which sold out quickly when we had it last time. The prior vintages have been fantastic, but the current vintage may be the best yet!
This is a serious wine, aromatically expressive and full of delicious, perfectly ripened dark fruit flavors that speak so highly of the vintage. Surprisingly complex, the dark fruit is framed perfectly by the high-quality French oak adding notes of cocoa and Asian spices. On the palate, the tannins are already nicely integrated, lending a smooth, mouth-filling quality to this delicious Bordeaux. Ripe dark plums, blueberry, cassis and chocolate are so seductive.
Critically acclaimed, Jeb Dunnuck gave this wine an amazing 96 Points calling Haut Brisson "shockingly good" and "brilliant" with "remarkable purity."
The famous enologist, Michel Rolland was retained to assist and as usual brought his prowess to bear. This Bordeaux-bred flying winemaker has consulted on a who's who of clients around the world including highly regarded Bordeaux estates such as Angelus, Ausone, Leoville Poyferre, Pape Clement, Pavie and Smith Haut Lafitte. He has also worked with Harlan and Bond in Napa as well as the great Super-Tuscan producer, Ornellaia in Italy among many others.
Chateau Haut Brisson has identified the differing soil types and vinifies each plot separately before blending. The terroir of these vineyards is composed primarily of gravel and sandy soils and the vines average 30 years of age. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel. The wine is then aged for four months on its post-malo lees before being placed in French oak barrels for an additional 12 to 15 months.
In years past, the Chateau produced a reserve wine, but beginning in 2015 put all of these superior grapes into this bottling which accounts for its increased quality.
The 2020 Haut Brisson offers immediate pleasure and is thoroughly enjoyable with a short decant. It is also capable of aging if that is your desire. Either way, this is a great buy on a delicious Bordeaux available at the lowest price in the nation!
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Coming from dismal yields of 12.5 hectoliters per hectare, the 2020 Château Haut-Brisson is shockingly good and another brilliant Right Bank that's going to represent a tremendous value. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in just 35% new French oak, it has a sensational perfume of red and black cherries, leafy tobacco, chocolate, lead pencil shavings, and liquid violet-like nuances. Full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, it has ultra-fine tannins, remarkable purity, and a great finish. This wine comes from an 18-hectare vineyard that was purchased by Peter Kwok in 1997, only to be sold in 2020 to Bordeaux native Stéphane Schinazi. The soils here are a mix of fine gravel and granular, quartz-rich silt atop a deep clay subsoil. The farming has been certified organic since 2010, vinification spans just over three weeks in stainless steel, and the wine sees malolactic fermentation in tank and four months on lees before being moved into 35% new French oak, 35% second-fill, and the balance in third-fill barrels."
This is a serious wine, aromatically expressive and full of delicious, perfectly ripened dark fruit flavors that speak so highly of the vintage. Surprisingly complex, the dark fruit is framed perfectly by the high-quality French oak adding notes of cocoa and Asian spices. On the palate, the tannins are already nicely integrated, lending a smooth, mouth-filling quality to this delicious Bordeaux. Ripe dark plums, blueberry, cassis and chocolate are so seductive.
Critically acclaimed, Jeb Dunnuck gave this wine an amazing 96 Points calling Haut Brisson "shockingly good" and "brilliant" with "remarkable purity."
The famous enologist, Michel Rolland was retained to assist and as usual brought his prowess to bear. This Bordeaux-bred flying winemaker has consulted on a who's who of clients around the world including highly regarded Bordeaux estates such as Angelus, Ausone, Leoville Poyferre, Pape Clement, Pavie and Smith Haut Lafitte. He has also worked with Harlan and Bond in Napa as well as the great Super-Tuscan producer, Ornellaia in Italy among many others.
Chateau Haut Brisson has identified the differing soil types and vinifies each plot separately before blending. The terroir of these vineyards is composed primarily of gravel and sandy soils and the vines average 30 years of age. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel. The wine is then aged for four months on its post-malo lees before being placed in French oak barrels for an additional 12 to 15 months.
In years past, the Chateau produced a reserve wine, but beginning in 2015 put all of these superior grapes into this bottling which accounts for its increased quality.
The 2020 Haut Brisson offers immediate pleasure and is thoroughly enjoyable with a short decant. It is also capable of aging if that is your desire. Either way, this is a great buy on a delicious Bordeaux available at the lowest price in the nation!
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Coming from dismal yields of 12.5 hectoliters per hectare, the 2020 Château Haut-Brisson is shockingly good and another brilliant Right Bank that's going to represent a tremendous value. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in just 35% new French oak, it has a sensational perfume of red and black cherries, leafy tobacco, chocolate, lead pencil shavings, and liquid violet-like nuances. Full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, it has ultra-fine tannins, remarkable purity, and a great finish. This wine comes from an 18-hectare vineyard that was purchased by Peter Kwok in 1997, only to be sold in 2020 to Bordeaux native Stéphane Schinazi. The soils here are a mix of fine gravel and granular, quartz-rich silt atop a deep clay subsoil. The farming has been certified organic since 2010, vinification spans just over three weeks in stainless steel, and the wine sees malolactic fermentation in tank and four months on lees before being moved into 35% new French oak, 35% second-fill, and the balance in third-fill barrels."
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