Haut Brion 2004

Tasted at the French Embassy in London. The Haut-Brion ’04 may be entering a rather awkward phase. The nose is reticent at first and demands continued coaxing from the glass. Blackberry, cranberry and leather eventually emerge, later joined by bay leaf, leather and a touch of wild heather. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins, dominated by cedar and undergrowth characters. It does lack a little depth and there is a touch of piquancy towards the finish. I feel this is entering a dumb phase but will come through the other side with all guns firing. Drink 2015-2030. Tasted November 2010.

The dark plum/ruby-hued 2004 Haut-Brion exhibits a noble, discreet, smoky bouquet revealing notions of plum liqueur, black currants, sweet cherries, and subtle earth. In addition to its aromatic complexity, this medium-bodied effort reveals classic elegance and delicacy as well as sweet fruit in the mouth and a long finish. Give this streamlined, civilized wine 2-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 20-25 years. It is amazingly similar to Haut-Brion’s 1999.