1998 Chateau Haut-Brion

The 1998 vintage on the Left Bank produced exceptional results in Pessac-Léognan, and Chateau Haut-Brion delivered a wine of commanding presence.

Now at 25+ years, it shows the unmistakable Haut-Brion terroir: smoky, earthy minerality underpinned by tobacco, dark plum, iron, graphite, and a seductive cedar-spice finish. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with significant Merlot gives the wine unusual richness for a Graves-appellation red. This is a First Growth drinking in its prime — extraordinary value relative to younger vintages.

"For my money (and I have some in the cellar), the 1998 Haut-Brion is the finest vintage from this estate between 1989 and 2000, surpassing the 1990. While it remains decidedly youthful at age 25, it is beginning to stir, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berry fruit, cigar wrapper, loamy soil, pencil shavings and burning embers. Medium-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's layered and elegant, with refined tannins, lively acids and a long, perfumed finish. Exemplifying the ideal of intensity without weight, it enjoys a slight edge over La Mission Haut-Brion in this banner year for both properties."

-Robert Parker