2009 Haut Brion: A Modern Classic in the Making?

Better than the legendary 1989? A modern day 1945 or 1961?

Talk about a great endorsement…

The 2009 Haut Brion is without a doubt one of the best wines produced from the Estate. Of course, we are just beginning to see (& taste) the potential in this wine – only time will tell exactly how legendary this will be. Lucky for you, we have pristine 6pk and 12pk cases available today that were all purchased on release! Not looking to commit to a case? We have loose bottles available as well.

The wines of Haut Brion are typically Merlot heavy, as the clay rich soil makes it especially suited to the varietal. They are some of the most fascinating, long-lived wines in the world. Over the years, they have cut production and each vintage less and less of this magical wine is made. To give you a reference – in 1982 there were over 21,000 cases made and in 1989 there were over 17,000 cases. For 2009? Less than 11,000 cases.

Bottles of 1989 are currently selling for nearly $2500. At just $925 a bottle, the 2009 is absolutely worth the investment and patience.

2009 Haut Brion - 

Aromas of forest floor, currants and blueberries, with hints of fresh tobacco and sliced mushrooms. Turns to orange peel and blueberries. Full-bodied, with incredible structure. This is so powerful in tannins, yet so polished. This is the most structured Haut-Brion that I have ever tasted. This has 15% Cabernet Franc, which is more than normal and perhaps giving the wine a little more tannic structure. A monumental Haut-Brion made to age for centuries. I have never tasted a young Haut-Brion, with such spellbinding power and depth. A modern 1945 or 1961 HB? Better than the legendary 1989? Try in 2021. – JS100

What a blockbuster effort! Atypically powerful, one day, the 2009 Haut-Brion may be considered to be the 21st century version of the 1959. It is an extraordinarily complex, concentrated effort made from a blend of 46% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc with the highest alcohol ever achieved at this estate, 14.3%. Even richer than the perfect 1989, with similar technical numbers although slightly higher extract and alcohol, it offers up a sensational perfume of subtle burning embers, unsmoked cigar tobacco, charcoal, black raspberries, wet gravel, plums, figs and blueberries. There is so much going on in the aromatics that one almost hesitates to stop smelling it. However, when it hits the palate, it is hardly a letdown. This unctuously textured, full-bodied 2009 possesses low acidity along with stunning extract and remarkable clarity for a wine with a pH close to 4.0. The good news is that there are 10,500 cases of the 2009, one of the most compelling examples of Haut-Brion ever made. It requires a decade of cellaring and should last a half century or more. Readers who have loved the complexity of Haut-Brion should be prepared for a bigger, richer, more massive wine, but one that does not lose any of its prodigious aromatic attractions. – RP100