 Inside First Growth Haut Brion with Jean-Philippe Delmas
First Growth Chateau Haut Brion has everything you would expect from a chateau |
Close to Bordeaux
Although I have been to Haut Brion many times, driving up to this First Growth remains a bit of an experience as the chateau almost has been eaten up by the city of Pessac. Both the chateau and its vineyards are within the Rocade, the beltway encircling the city of Bordeaux. You have to drive through a newly developed town before suddenly arriving at Chateau Haut Brion, the oldest of the First Growths.
The history of Haut Brion can be traced back to 1525. The spectacular chateau dates from 1549 and never fails to impress visitors. With its turrets it has everything you would expect from a chateau.
Tradition and technology
American banker, Clarence Dillon lends his name to the second wine of the chateau |
Haut Brion has been one of the forerunners of technology for centuries. Around 1663 it was at Haut Brion where topping up of the barrels and racking were developed. This new technique enabled the ageing of the wine and represented the starting point for a new type of wine. This “New French Claret”, as the English called this wine, drew the attention of wine lovers such as Peypes and Locke and of course Thomas Jefferson. It was Jefferson who included Haut Brion in his list of the four Premier Crus which was to be replicated in the official classification of 1855. Towards the end of the 18th century Haut Brion again was one of the first to take a new step: Bottling at the chateau. Today Haut Brion is one of the four chateaux in Bordeaux that still have their own cooper on site.
In 1935 it was an American banker, Clarence Dillon, who bought Haut Brion. Today it is his great grandson Prince Robert of Luxembourg who is in charge.
But there is another family that for three generations has played an important role in the chateau’s history: the Delmas family. Technology and tradition go alongside at Haut Brion. It was the father of the current estate manager who introduced the stainless steel vats in 1961.
 Third generation
Jean-Philippe Delmas, the current estate manager of Chateau Haut Brion, receives us in his office in a little chateau right in between Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion, the other property that he manages. Delmas represents the third generation of his family on this renowned First Growth.
Delmas turns out to be very down to earth. Asked about the pressure of the past he remains modest:
“My grandfather was “regiseur” as they called the manager at the time. I feel that this family part is not that important: At a First Growth the people are there for a certain period of time and we have to give our best efforts to improve on what our predecessors handed down to us.
Jean-Philippe Delmas of Chateau Haut Brion:
"The day that I fail, it will be my head on the chopping block." |
And to pass it on to the generation that comes behind us”, he says with a smile. “Maybe even to one of my children,” he jokes, as they are still very small. “But still it is a great advantage that we have this family tradition as not everything is in writing. I have worked with my father for 10 years before I took over in 2003.
The pressure we experience at a First Growth like Haut Brion is high: we have absolutely no excuses when we fail. The terroir gives us the possibility to do what we do and we can’t blame anything when we fail. We have everything we can possibly need and more. The day that I fail, it will be my head on the chopping block”.
Terroir
My question about the importance of terroir gets Delmas really started:
“For me Haut Brion is a perfect example of terroir in action. At Haut Brion in the vineyard we have 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. And every year the final blend can be totally different.
Haut Brion a haven of peace surrounded by the city |
Some years our wine is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and in others is can be mainly Merlot. The magical influence of the terroir is that whatever the final blend the wine might be, the identity of the Haut Brion always shows, because of the eco system, a word that I prefer to terroir.
This has always been so. I will give you an example: When my father retired in 2003, his colleagues of the First Growths organized a meal at Lafite Rothschild. Here Baron Eric de Rothschild allowed us to taste a Haut Brion 1848. This was a moving experience for two reasons of course: it was the farewell dinner of my father, but on the other hand there was this wine. The color was very light, almost a rosé. That’s why they called these wine “claret” at the time.
But on the nose there was this typical smokiness all those aromas, like cigar box and cedar wood that are so typical for Haut Brion. Even a wine of a century-and-a-half expressed this typical terroir.”
Primeurs and Parker
When asked about the future tastings in April and about the way ratings tend to make the market, he answers with a big smile:
“At Haut Brion our aim is not to make a wine to show off on the futures tastings in April. A lot of the technology available today is used to create a wine that will show well as a barrel sample. At Haut Brion we’re not making wine to do well on future tastings. Tasted young, our wine is sometime less open, even closed at times. If this makes it more difficult for the critics to understand how the wine will develop, so be it.
Barrel samples of the spectacular Haut Brion and
La Mission Haut Brion 2009 vintage
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The focus in ratings nowadays is on numbers. Tell critics that your wine has 15% alcohol, you have a yield of 25 hl/ha and that you discarded 80% of your production and kept a mere 20% for your Grand Vin.
A story like that tends to improve your ratings even before the critics have tasted your wine. Wines are sometimes judged more on numbers than on the quality. And I understand this, because the quality aspect is by definition subjective.
What is the quality of the wine in the end of the day? It is the taste. You either like the wine or you don’t. Numbers are objective. If you have an alcohol content of 15% in your wine it is not 13%. There is no discussion about it. The final taste is a personal experience. I feel it is quite a responsibility for the critics, because they just taste a wine for a few minutes and then rate it. This rating determines whether a wine will sell or not. So the fate of a wine can sometimes be determined in a couple of minutes”.
The monumental entrance gates at
Chateau Haut Brion |
The most important taster for the futures is of course Robert Parker and Delmas is impressed by his consistency and the fact that Parker’s enjoyment of wine remains an important criterion for his ratings:
“When Parker comes to Haut Brion he asks very little questions. His first approach is to decide whether he likes a wine or he doesn’t. That for me remains the most important aspect of wine. This is the outcome of the mythical process of transforming grapes in a wine that will give so much pleasure for years to come.”
Cheating on Bordeaux in Biarritz
Hotel du Palais: Imprial luxury in Europe’s last real Grand Hotel |
Our aim is to create unique Bordeaux Wine Experiences. Sometimes people even want more. Most of our guests start their European trip in Paris. Who wouldn't want to spend some days in Paris? They then take either a plane or a train to Bordeaux for our Bordeaux Wine Tours. Many people ask us what they could do as an extension of their stay as they are in Europe.
In the coming issues of this Bordeaux Wine Magazine I will provide you with some suggestions to extend your stay in our beautiful region. This month my suggestion is:
Imperial Biarritz
Like the Empress Eugénie in the 19th century, we love Biarritz in the French Basque country and located just 90 minute drive from Bordeaux. This resort has been a playground for the rich and famous since the 19th century. Eugénie made her husband and Emperor Napoleon III build a palace there.
Five star Hotel du Palais on the beach in Biarritz |
You can feel like Royalty as well because this Imperial Palace is now a five star hotel and our favorite place in Biarritz. It was the same Napoleon that was responsible for the famous 1855 classification of Bordeaux.
Napoleon and Eugénie are omnipresent with their initials in Europe’s last real Grand Hotel. Several suites carry the names of famous guests from the past like Empress Sissy, the Belgian King Léopold II and the English King Edward VII, to name but a few.
We stayed in the Frank Sinatra Suite with an impressive fireplace, two bathrooms (one with TV) and a dressing room. We really enjoyed the view of the Atlantic Ocean and surfers’ paradise, the bay of Biarritz.
Imperial Spa
Our favorite spot: the Imperial Spa |
There is no need to leave the Hotel du Palais anymore as you can enjoy the three restaurants, the fitness center, bars, indoor and outdoor pools, a hair institute, a practice hole for golfers and our personal favorite: the Imperial Spa.
This spa is run with the famous perfume company Guerlain. (Guerlain created perfumes for Queen Victoria and Empress Sissy).
In the Imperial Spa we enjoyed the breathtaking indoor pool, the steam rooms and saunas and a variety of treatments and massages.
Margaret showing the excellent Domaine Arretxea “Haïtza” 2005 |
Fine dining
We dine in La Rotonde the sumptuous palacial restaurant with breathtaking views on the Grande Plage and the Biarritz lighthouse.
That the Michelin rated La Villa Eugénie restaurant was closed that night was no problem. I visited both restaurants and La Rotonde is the prettiest of the two and offers the best views. And the excellent food comes from the same kitchen.
The wine list is extensive and complete, with an emphasis on Bordeaux. We didn’t come to Biarritz to discover Bordeaux so we needed some advice. The young, knowledgeable and enthusiastic Sommelier Benoît Castillion came to our rescue. On his advice we discover a local wine the: Irouléguy. The Domaine Arretxea “Haïtza” 2005 is a real find.
Spending a few days here to recuperate after a Bordeaux wine tour will be a perfect ending to a dream vacation in France.
More information:
Hotel du Palais
Imperial Resort and Spa
www.hotel-du-palais.com
The Ultimate Chateauneuf-du-Pape Wine Book
This book is heavy, so don't try to slip it in your suitcase on a
wine tour |
We're cheating on Bordeaux in this issue so let's go all the way. People who have seen my cellar know that my wine preference are Bordeaux, Rioja, (Vintage) Port and Chateauneuf-du-Pape. That's why I was very pleased to know that my good friend and fellow dutchman Harry Karis had decided to write a book about this appellation in the Southern Rhone.
No he hasn't written a book; he wrote the book: The Chateauneuf du Pape Wine Book. This well designed full color book will make a great holiday gift for your wine enthusiast friends. It is has almost 500 pages and weighs over two and a half kilo (5,5 pounds).
The Chateauneuf wine region was unquestionable worthy of a book and this is the first serious book ever dedicated exclusively to this appellation.
Harry Karis was a chef,a medical doctor, but five years ago gave all of this up to pursue his passion..the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape...
Robert Parker described this book as "One of the most fascinating and profound wine books I have ever read" and I couldn't agree with him more.
Harry Karis, the author of
The Chateauneuf du Pape Wine Book |
To quote Parker even further: "His coverage of the geography, extraordinary history, remarkable Mediterranean climate, and famous mistral of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as well as the diverse soil types, microclimates, and terroirs in this large appellation, is unprecedented in scope and detail.
Harry Karis also delves deeper than any previous author into the strikingly dissimilar wine making at different domains. In addition, his analysis of the domestic, as well as the export market is very worthwhile. However, the heart and soul of the book are the extraordinary estate profiles, and a description of the vignerons behind the cellar doors. This is a book that one can read from cover to cover many times and still glean new information about this sunny, windswept appellation in Provence."
I was happy to notice that some of my favorite Chateauneufs were also highly rated by Karis.
The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Book was awarded Best Wine Book in the World by Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2010!
Recently by the same author: The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Guide. This is a more concise publishing that you actually can carry around. Available in download version and hardcopy.
More information and direct ordering:
The Chateauneuf du Pape Wine Book
by Harry Karis
Photography and design: Phil Karis
Kavino Book Publishing
488 pages, hardcover. Highly recommended!
www.cdpwinebook.com
 What Ronald has been drinking this month...
The best improve with age...
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The Best Bordeaux:
Chateau Chasse-Spleen has been a long time favorite of mine. In my opinion, this is one of the best non-Classified-Growths in Bordeaux. It is without a doubt the best producer of the Moulis appellation.
Even Robert Parker feels that this chateau, in better vintages, produces wines of the level of a Third Grand Cru Classé. The 1990 for me proves this point. The Chateau Chasse Spleen 1990 had spent almost 20 years in my cellar and was worth waiting for.
Chasse Spleen means chasing the blues. I can assure you that you won't feel blue after tasting this Cru Exceptionel. The color was orange brown as was to be expected after 20 years of ageing. On the nose there were some hints of black berries and spices. The tannins had faded away for the most part, but was left was like velvet. Beautiful secondary aromas like mushroom and undergrowth.
Wines like this prove two points for me:
1. Exceptional wines don't always have to be expensive.
2. Man am I happy that I have both a cellar and patience, because this is worth waiting for.
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The best "non Bordeaux" wine:
The French Basque country is not that far from Bordeaux but the wines are totally different. You can read our experiences in discovering this appellation in my article "Cheating on Bordeaux".
Irouléguy is one of France's smallest appellations with just 250 ha. To give you an idea: this is less than a third of the size of Pomerol, the smallest appellation in Bordeaux.
We tasted the Domaine Arretxea “Haïtza” 2005 in the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz. This is not a wine for little girls. The grape varieties are Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon. They make for a powerful dark colored wine. If you are looking for subtlety this is not your wine. If you like power and strong tannins you are home. The nose is an avalanche of fruit with blackberry and cherry. In the mouth the wine has almost a creamy texture with soft well integrated tannins an a nice acidity. This wine is a pleaser with elegance. We enjoyed it on the Magret de Canard en Croûte, a steak of duck.
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November Thanksgiving Wine Tour 2010: Last spots available!
 Our aim is to create unique Bordeaux Wine Experiences. We don't organize many tours each year, it’s actually just a few! And there is not a lot of space here. So if you want to join us, you better start acting right now. It is still possible for two couples to tour with us in 2010. So why not join us on The Grand Tour of Bordeaux 2010 on November 22 - November 27. The vineyards are beautiful in November with the leaves turning.
The last spots on this Leaf Peeping Thanksgiving Tour are amazingly still available. So if you really are interested you should ask us to hold your spot now, because you don’t want to miss out on this great Wine Experience. So check out our tour schedule, or contact us now for a detailed itinerary and more information!
Decanter Magazine has created Decanter Education
 Decanter Magazine has announced the launch of Decanter Education. This will create an unique chance to gain insight into the most fascinating and important wine regions in the world. Each course and master class will be led by Decanter columnists and wine experts in the iconic, contemporary Blue Fin Building - home to the Decanter headquarters and tasting suite, with stunning views over London and St Paul’s cathedral.
 Four reasons not to miss out:
• Increase your wine knowledge of the most prolific and important wine regions
• Meet Decanter’s leading contributors, judges and experts
• Taste a minimum of 8 carefully selected wines, chosen for their distinct example of terroir
• Gain unrivalled insight in a relaxed and intimate setting where group discussion is welcome
November courses
Understanding Piedmont £95
Wednesday 10th November 2010 Tutor: Michael Garner
Mastering St Emilion and Pomerol £225
Saturday 27th November 2010 Tutor: Stephen Brook
More information: www.decanter.com
Phone +44 (0)20 3148 4513
Our Bordeaux Wine Tours 2011: Our exciting new schedule!
 Our 2011 Tour schedule is filling up. One tour has already sold out. Remember we just conduct a limited number of these tours per year, so be sure to be with us:
§ The Grand Tour of Bordeaux 2011
-May 23 - May 28, 2011 and
-July 4 - July 9, 2011 and
-September 5 - September 10, 2011 (Sold out!)
-November 21 - November 26, 2011
Limited to 10 guests per tour
§ The Bordeaux Harvest Tour 2011
-September 26 – October 1, 2011
Limited to 10 guests
Due to the exclusive nature of these tours, this program will sell out, so fix those dates for you and contact us now for a detailed itinerary and more information!
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Have a great Thanksgiving and we look forward to seeing you all in Bordeaux in the near future!
Cheers from Bordeaux,
Ronald and Margaret Rens
   
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