Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of blueberry and chocolate with some walnut and blackberry, following through to a medium-bodied palate with a solid core of fruit, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. Nice cedar and sandalwood undertones. Refined and polished. Try after 2024.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Haut Brisson is a pretty, floral wine delivering crunchy red and blue fruits, lots of spring flower and damp earth aromatics, medium to full-bodied richness, and present, firm, yet ripe and polished tannins. It's beautifully done, with an exotic, age-worthy vibe, it's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades. Rating: 93+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Haut-Brisson is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and has 14.6% alcohol. It was aged for around 18 months in oak barrels, 35% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it prances out of the glass with flamboyant scents of Black Forest cake, blueberry preserves and Christmas pudding, plus touches of black truffles, licorice and fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of spicy black fruit preserves, framed by soft tannins and a racy backbone of freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note.
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Decanter
Dark fruits, a little sombre right now, but with plenty of juice and a slate feeling keeping interest through the finish. Drinking Window 2023 - 2034
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Wine Spectator
This red sports a lively mix of blackberry and black currant preserve notes contrasted by savory and tobacco details. Everything knits nicely through the anise-accented finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.