2023 Bordeaux Wine Magazine: Haut Brion 2022 tasting notes and ratings on futures and ratings “en primeur” by Ronald Rens, M.Sc., Wine Master, Bordeaux Expert
Haut Brion is renovating therefore I tasted at La Mission Haut Brion
I tasted the wines of this oldest of the First Growths in the professional tasting room at La Mission Haut Brion as Haut Brion is building its new winery. My host was the very knowledgeable Turid Alcaras, the estate’s Public Relations Manager. Turid explained that Haut Brion had to adapt the work in the vineyards to the hot and dry weather in this vintage. “Especially de de-leafing was restricted to an absolute minimum to protect the grapes from the heat and the sunlight. The vines adapted and the leaves stayed green toward the end of summer.”
Haut Brion had the second earliest harvest in the chateau’s long history. The earliest was in 2003.
Chateau Haut Brion 2022 (Red wines)
Le Clarence de Haut Brion 2022 (Second wine of Haut Brion) (18+? Points/20)
[62,1% Merlot, 21,9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14,5% Cabernet Franc and 1,5% Petit Verdot]
Medium-intense color, almost hesitating between red and purple. The wine is rather closed on the nose and takes some time and some swirling to show some pleasant notes of ripe red fruit.
On the palate the first thing I notice is the freshness interlaced with beautiful dark fruit tones. Great mid-palate and a good structure. There seems to be tendency towards some dryness at the end. This is something I tasted in some of the Pauillac wines as well in this vintage. I am not sure if this dryness will fade away over time. If it does, then this is going to be a lovely second wine.
Haut Brion 2022 (19,5? points/20)
[53,6% Merlot, 35,4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc]
A deep intense dark red color. On the nose I find this typical classical nose of a great Haut Brion: Incredibility complex fruit tones, some discreet tobacco notes. I can just sit here all morning sniffing this superb and complex nose. Probably the best nose I have experienced with any of the 2022 wines. On the palate the first thing that strikes me is the powerful precise fruit. Great mid-palate. This is a wonderfully and structured Haut Brion. As with the second wine, I find a bit of a tendency towards dryness at the end. This Haut Brion is very good and possibly extraordinary if this dryness will fade away during the ageing in barrel.
Chateau Haut Brion 2022 (White wines)
La Clarté de Haut Brion 2022 (17,5 points/20)
serves as the second wine for both Haut Brion Blanc and La Mission Haut Brion Blanc
[53,7% Sauvignon Blanc and 46,3% Semillon]
A discreet and tender straw color. Nice fruity nose with some lychee. This second wine is, like every year, very accessible and something you almost want to drink now. I tasted almost some sweetness. Personally, I am missing some of the freshness that I normally find so characteristic for this wine. A pleasantly drinking wine that is very accessible, but for me, like I said, it lacks a little freshness.
Haut Brion Blanc 2022 (19,5 points/20)
[51,4% Sémillon and 48.6% Sauvignon Blanc]
\Discreet light-yellow color with some slight green tinges. Interesting nose with some lychee and pineapple and a little citrus fruit. On the palate there is first impression of fresh tropical fruit. This is maybe the first white wine I tasted this vintage that shows this much needed freshness that is crucial for a great white wine. This Haut Brion 2022 wine is very approachable and shows a kind of fattiness and shows a great roundness and length. Very well done in a vintage that proved challenging for the white wines.
Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 2022 (Red and white wines)
La Chapelle de la Mission Haut Brion 2022, second wine of La Mission Haut Brion (18,5+ points/20)
[35,4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 55,9% Merlot and 5,1% Cabernet Franc]
Deep dark intense color. Very expressive nose; seems to want to jump out of the glass. Great intense fresh fruit. On the palate I adore the lovely fruit basket. Loads of superb fresh fruit. And again, this great freshness so typical for this vintage. Some notes of ground coffee and toasted bread. Incredible length for “just” a second wine.
La Mission Haut Brion 2022 (19,5 points/20)
La Mission Haut Brion 2022 (19,5 points/20)
[51,7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43,2% Merlot and 8,7% Cabernet Franc]
Splendid deep, dark red to purple color with a kind of a sparkle in it. Very closed on the nose at first. After a while the wine opens up a bit and shows some discreet but pure fruit tones.
Once in my mouth the party begins. What a class and what a power! How did they manage to combine the fruit with those velvety tannins and the signature freshness of the vintage. Very long indeed. Well done. I took away the plus in my rating because of the nose that somewhat failed to show what are probably going to be its true colors.
La Mission Haut Brion Blanc 2022 (19 points/20)
[28% Sauvignon Blanc and 72% Sémillon]
A beautiful light lemon-yellow color with some green tinges. On the nose a remarkable expression of exotic fruit and some lychee. In the mouth I find an interesting fattiness and the wine is showing more freshness than the Clarté but still not enough for what I am looking for in a white wine. Very approachable and a very round and a good length.
More Bordeaux 2022 tasting notes and ratings:
| 2022 Chateau Ausone | 2022 Chateau Cheval Blanc | 2022 Chateau Angelus | 2022 Chateau Pavie |
|2022 Chateau Lafite Rothschild | 2022 Chateau Mouton Rothschild | 2022 Chateau Latour | 2022 Chateau Margaux |
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