Chateau Haut Brion   Haut Brion

2008 Haut Brion

By Chateau Haut Brion

2008 Haut Brion from Chateau Haut Brion, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux

In the pantheon of Bordeaux vintages, the 2008 Haut Brion from Château Haut Brion holds a distinctive place. This intriguing vintage springs from a climatically capricious year in Pessac-Leognan, a year which carefully sculpted its unique attributes with a winemaker’s precision.

 

Connoisseur's Chronicle: The Pinnacle of Patience

Launching into the 2008 vintage's profile, one is immediately struck by the resilience and eventual triumph it represents. A cool and wet start to the season no doubt set winemakers' nerves on edge, but as always with nature’s complex tapestry, late heat in summer and an arid autumn delivered grapes of astonishing quality, particularly for such heralded estates as Chateau Haut Brion. The harvest bore fruit that promised depth and longevity.

 

Investment Echoes in Every Glass

The 2008 Haut Brion wields an intricate juxtaposition of immediate charm and substantial cellar potential—a duality deeply coveted by fine wine investors. Beneath its surface, there’s a subtlety at play; the freshness of the vintage harmonising with the dark fruits. Classic notes of truffle, earth and smoke are gracefully sheathed in a medium-bodied structure that dazzles with elegance over raw power.

Amidst the tapestry of taste, what sets this vintage apart is its linear precision—a direct line from sip to soul that captures the imagination. It's not just about sipping; it's about the storied lineage of Bordeaux's left bank unfolding on the palate—one that iterates tales of soil, season and skilled hands shaping liquid history.

The investment acumen cannot be overstated when considering a wine such as the 2008 Haut Brion for one's portfolio. Its evolution in bottle continues to unfold complexity and depth, offering both a splendid drinking experience now, and promising returns in the future.

Vintage analysis offers insight not only into a single harvest but tells of trends and triumphs- a necessity for those investing in liquid assets. The 2008 from Château Haut Brion encapsulates this beautifully, standing as an emblem of resilience and excellence within the Pessac-Léognan appellation—an investment worthy of deep consideration for connoisseurs and collectors alike.

Current market price

$6,660.00

12x75cl

Highest score

96

POP score

249.38

Scores and tasting notes

96

This is profound! 2008 Haut-Brion: The extraordinary 2008 Haut-Brion is a candidate for -wine of the vintage.- Composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, it reveals more evolution and complexity in its large-scaled perfume. The dense purple color is followed by a sweet nose of creosote, asphalt, blueberries, black currants and jammy raspberries, sweet tannins, a savory, fleshy mouthfeel and a stunning finish. This incredibly pure, noble wine was produced from one of the estate's smallest crops (only 7,000 cases produced versus the usual 12,000 cases). It should drink well for three decades or more.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 1 May 2011

95+

Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. Tasted from two bottles, the Haut Brion 2008 has an austere, quite earthy bouquet with brambly red fruit, wild strawberry and cranberry, well-integrated new oak and palpable mineralite. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent entry; fine acidity, very svelte tannins with judicious creamy new oak rounding off the seductive, yet muscular finish with a peacock’s tail of graphite and sous-bois on the aftertaste. Difficult to separate from La Mission at the moment, although I think this is the longer-term bet. Tasted January 2012.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal May 2012

94

What a finish here. It starts off slowly and then builds. Full bodied, but in reserve with a sweet tobacco, berry, and light dark chocolate character. Bright acidity and a chewy finish. So classy. Production was tiny in 2008. Try after 2014.

James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, December 20th 2010

Vintage performance