Savoir-faire
If the wines of Château Haut-Brion are today renowned all over the world, it is undoubtedly due to the unique ecosystem of their terroir, as well as a succession of passionate and dedicated professionals whose expertise has consistently produced exceptional wines.
Harvest, the culmination of an entire year’s work
The harvest is the culmination of an entire year’s work. The grapes are picked by hand according to their ripeness, then sorted and de-stemmed (the stem is separated from the grapes), leaving only the quintessence. Their quality will determine the greatness of the vintage. The grapes are placed in vats and the temperature is gradually raised so that fermentation can begin.
The greatness of a vintage depends
on the optimal quality of each harvested grape.
From grapes to wine, a moment of truth in the winery
The grape bunches harvested and the berries placed in vats, the temperature rises …. Now it is time for fermentation to begin. Thanks to technology and precise temperature control, the winemaker knows how to regulate these fermentations. Two weeks later, when the colour, tannins and aromatic components have given their full potential, it is time to run off the wine from the vats. This is the real moment of truth, because from each vat bursts forth a wine possessing its own, unique personality.
An exceptional blending culture
In the world of wine, blending is the art of harmoniously marrying plots and grape varieties. At Château Haut-Brion, we have developed a century-old blending culture, a true expertise and signature. A particularity of the estate is that the outline of the definitive wine is drawn very early on and it is therefore the final blend that is presented during the “en primeurs” tastings the following Spring. The blending tastings are a rite of passage at the end of the year. Creating a blend requires an in-depth knowledge of the history of the estate, its terroir, its signature, in order to anticipate and imagine how the wine may evolve over time. The transmission of this know-how is done exclusively in-house at Domaine Clarence Dillon.
Shaping a Premier Grand Cru
The best wines are selected for Château Haut-Brion and placed in barrels for 18 to 20 months. Maturation is also the art of integrating the barrels’ woods, to ensure that the new barrels’ woodiness never overwhelms the wine. Every year the percentage of new barrels is reviewed, according to the vintage’s characteristics and the wine’s profile. During this period, the wine is frequently racked “à l’esquive” (through the small bunghole at the base of the barrel), which is a lengthy and meticulous, traditional procedure that requires great attention. But it is also the most precise and gentle technique for the wine. During this process, the wine’s clarity is constantly checked by the light of a candle. This procedure conducted during maturation helps to develop the wine, gently oxygenate it and form its character. The wine is then bottled to continue the slow ageing process.
“Even after 34 vintages, it is impossible to tire of carrying out this blending exercise, which gives us something new to discover each year and is the completion of the work of the whole company. Without being conceited, it is quite thrilling, because we take part in the creation of a unique wine, a truly great wine!”
Jean-Philippe Masclef
Technical Director
