Two bottles of Château Haut-Brion
1986 vintage
Pessac-Léognan
Original filling quantity: 0.75 l
Fill level: < 3 cm
Robert Parker: 94/100 (2003)
Jean-Marc Quarin: 94/100 (2001)
René Gabriel: 19/20 (2012)
Falstaff: 93/100 (2011)

This lot comprises two bottles of 1986 vintage Château Haut-Brion from the Pessac-Léognan appellation in Bordeaux.

The appellation of Pessac Léognan is part of the Graves wine region, south of the city of Bordeaux. Vines thrive on Ice Age gravel terraces, producing first-class, mineral red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and some Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes. Aside from Château Haut-Brion, the region’s iconic Premier cru classé, Pape-Clément and Smith Haut-Lafite are the leading wine growers of the region. The appellation is also the home of intense, powerful dry white wines. Cuvées made from Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon are aromatic and structurally characterized by Sauvignon blanc.

1986 was a very good vintage in Bordeaux, with tannin-rich wines that developed wonderfully over a long period of time. This wine will already be delicious, however it might still need a few years in order to fully mature.

The 1986 Haut-Brion was last scored by Robert Parker in his Bordeaux Book (4th edition) in 2003, when he awarded it 94 points after tasting it in 2002. The wine was rated 93 points in Falstaff magazine in 2011. René Gabriel rated the wine 19 out of 20 points in 2012.

The fill levels are excellent (< 3 cm). The labels are slightly soiled and the capsules are in perfect condition.

Château Haut-Brion

Château Haut-Brion is one of the most renowned wine estates in the world. It was acquired by C. Douglas Dillon, who later became United States Secretary of the Treasury, and has been owned by his family ever since. It has been run by the Delmas family since 1921 and is now in its third generation under their management. Construction of the estate began in 1549, and it is the oldest of the four Châteaux that were classified as Premier Cru Classé at the 1855 world exhibition in Paris. Earlier, it was officially located on the edge of Bordeaux, before the city boundaries expanded to include the vineyard. The microclimate of the estate plays a considerable role in the unmistakable taste of the wine it produces.

The vineyard area of Haut-Brion spans 48.35 hectares, planted with 45 % Merlot, 40 % Caberet Sauvignon and 15 % Cabernet Franc. The wine matures in oak barrels over a period of 18 to 22 months. On average, 10,000 to 12,000 cases of Château Haut-Brion’s first wine are produced every year.

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.