White Chateau Haut-Brion 2020

Surprising, seductive notes of fresh pink grapefruit; a full opening, with a juicy, racy development, power and length, and a delicate touch of bitterness on the finish; outstanding, and even better than en primeur.

96–98. Barrel Sample. Tightly textured, this is a wine whose future is assured. With intense white fruits, spice and touches of toast from the wood aging, the wine's concentration and taut character combine richness and structure.

Elderflower, white chocolate, pear, lemon blossom and orange zest - a nice mix of fresh fruits and floral scents. Bright, round and plump but focused too, this carries a lovely weight and intensity of flavour, it's not sharp or too woody with volume and balance. It's not shouting, more subtle and understated. The acidity is not that high 3.7pH so this doesn't have the immediate lift and joy you may be expecting but it's still tangy and vibrant with a round overall frame. Feels serious, and polished, this has been well worked with lovely nuances, a contemplative wine to think about. Still with some edges and tension too - the weight of Semillon playing against the sharpness of Sauvignon Blanc.

Lots of sliced cooked apple, pear, flint and matchstick aromas. Full-bodied and dense, yet agile and bright. Rich HB white with lemon curd. Oily and slightly heavy, but it finishes with real energy. 72% sauvignon and 28% semillon. Drink now or hold.

Creamy, lush, concentrated, long, and rich, the wine is packed with grapefruit, lemon, green apples, flowers, and spice in the perfume. The palate is sweet, ripe, fruity, oily, and focuses on spiced yellow citrus peels, touches of mango, and mineral essences, all of which carry through to the endnote. The wine blends 71% Sauvignon Blanc with 29% Semillon. 13.9% ABV, 3.31 pH. Picking took place August 20, and August 27. Drink from 2023-2045.

Light greenish-yellow with silver highlights. Notes of pink grapefruit, fresh meadow herbs, a touch of white currant, lime zest and a mineral hint. The palate is juicy and elegant, with ripe white apple, a touch of mango and great finesse, supported by vibrant acidity. The finish is lemony and salty—very precise and well-balanced—captivatingly delicate with good length. Already showing beautifully and very approachable.

The nose combines tropical and fresh notes with flinty and stony hints, fine oak and a slight toastiness with aromatic herbs, white flower, passion fruit, pineapple and ripe citrus. Excellent grip and bite, showing an unctuous and vinous texture backed by a great freshness bright yellow fruit notes and a long lingering finish. Slightly riper and more unctuous than La Mission which is excellent in its own right.

Kunz Fassprobe 2021: a finely creamy, intense, fresh, complex bouquet with notes of white peach, hawthorn, mint and chives. The palate is elegant, dense, fresh and refined, with powerful, precise fruit, very well-integrated acidity, a wide range of fresh aromas, a silky structure, and a very long, fresh finish.

A finely creamy, powerful, fresh, complex bouquet: white peach, hawthorn, mint, chives. An elegant, dense, fresh, refined palate with intense, fine fruit, very well-integrated acidity, a varied, fresh aromatic profile, a silky texture, and a very long, fresh finish. 19/20 2026 - 2048

Subtle and closed at first, this has structure and grip, and as it opens it shows a slate-scrape texture, oyster shell, wet stones, citrus and mint. More about texture than fruit at this early stage, clearly a white wine with ageing potential and a great deal of momentum. Impressive, and an upscore from En Primeur. Harvest: August 20 to 27.

A blend of 71.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 28.6% Semillon, the 2020 Haut-Brion Blanc races out with vibrant notes of lime juice, yuzu zest, and lemongrass, followed by suggestions of beeswax, wet slate, sea spray, and fennel seed. The medium-bodied palate offers a wonderfully satiny texture with beautifully balanced acidity cutting through the intense, tightly wound layers, finishing long and minerally.

A slightly stony nose, with an almost Burgundian minerality, yet fully consistent with that Pessac typicity of yellow fruits and grapefruit. A mineral, succulent palate, a delicate pairing of grapefruit and a fresh croissant.

Freshness defines the bouquet of Haut-Brion 2020, with inviting notes of lime, nettle and lemon balm. Tension and salinity sustain this freshness, while the palate’s vibrancy enhances the aromatic expression through to the finish. A subtle, lively and persistent wine.