Chateau Haut Brion - Chateau Haut Brion blanc 2014

WINE ENTHUSIAST: " Barrel Sample. This is a superb, very rich wine, full of great swathes of peaches and apricots. Powerful and round, it is still cut by the most beautiful acidity. The texture is tight, nervy and crisp while never losing its richness and opulence. This magnificent wine will age for decades."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2014 Haut Brion Blanc has a very pure bouquet with scents of peach skin, Cornice pear and those resinous/candle wax aromas that I remarked upon during en primeur. This has more sophistication than the La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, a little more tension. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth entry, perfect acidity, wonderful tension and energy. Notes of orange pith, a squeeze of lime, flint and smoke are conveyed on the finish that demonstrates outstanding persistence. This is a great Haut Brion Blanc, but it will require a decade in the bottle before it will show what it can really do."

JAMES SUCKLING: "The aromas are endless here with stones, green apples and limes. Full-bodied, tight and dense yet so agile and lively. Stones, grass and cream. It goes on for minutes. A classic white Haut-Brion here. More semillon that most vintages. Drink or hold."

JEB DUNNUCK: "More closed and reticent than the La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, the 2014 Haut Brion Blanc is a blend of 68% Sémillon and 32% Sauvignon Blanc all brought up in barrel, with no malolactic fermentation. It reluctantly gives up notes of citrus, orange marmalade, and mint, with a liquid rock-like minerality emerging with time in the glass. Concentrated, medium to full-bodied, with bright acidity, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish, it’s all promise at this point, but should start to sing in 2-3 years. It’s an insanely good dry white from Pessac that’s going to keep for two to three decades."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The mineral-driven grapefruit, lemongrass, flowers, citrus rind, honey and vanilla arouse your curiosity and senses while the layers of citrus peel, lemon custard and honey lure you in for a long, fresh, unforgettable, zippy, expansive, citrus drenched, bright finish. The wine was made from a blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Semillon, reaching 14.75% alcohol with a pH of 3.2."

WINE SPECTATOR: "A towering white, loaded with crème fraîche, verbena, makrut lime, Meyer lemon, singed macadamia nut, wet straw and lemon pound cake notes, this provides a startling range of aromas and flavors, displaying a gorgeous combination of richness and raciness. Though large-scaled, the purity here is stunning. Will probably outlast more than a few reds in the vintage. Best from 2021 through 2035. 617 cases made. — JM"

DECANTER: "My Pessac and Graves wine of the vintage. Striking purity with real depth of stone flavour and beautiful grip that holds on for minutes after you have finished tasting. It has incredible tension, vigour and purity thanks to great selection and steady-as-she-goes confidence in the winemaking. There’s more Semillon (68%) than some years to balance the high acidity with rich, round lemon curd and apricot. Gorgeous."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "68% Sémillon, 32% Sauvignon Blanc. Rich and waxy. Broad and refined and already satisfying. Deep and rich and a great undertow. Just a little green streak but massive weight."