2010
Château Haut-Brion Rouge
Tasting notes
This wine is a superb ruby-red colour with purplish highlights. The initially closed-in bouquet opens up nicely on aeration. The wonderfully subtle aromas follow through in quick succession, starting with oaky overtones, followed by red-berry fruit, leading into terroir character: cocoa powder, roasting coffee, and Havana cigars. The initial softness on the palate gradually evolves to reveal the tannic backbone. Despite their dense structure, the tannins are amazingly silky. The overall freshness carries the flavours through into an aftertaste that goes on and on. This wine has all the depth and smoothness of the 1989, the density of the 2000, the freshness of the 2005, and the richness of the 2009.
The weather
A dry year with an arid summer. The weather during the growing season, from early April to late September, was the driest since 1949. This water deficit caused dehydration in the vines, concentrating the grape juice and producing the highest values ever measured, particularly in terms of sugar content. The very cool nights promoted the accumulation of anthocyanins, so the 2010 red wines are the deepest-colored in recent years.
A few figures
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Harvest dates
From September 9th to October 9th
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Blend
Merlot: 23%
Cabernet Sauvignon: 57%
Cabernet Franc: 20% -
New barrels
75 %
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Alcohol
15 %
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Bottling date
From June 7th to 11th 2012
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