Chateau Haut-Marbuzet 2004

A luscious, oaky, richly fruity effort, the 2004 Haut-Marbuzet offers up scents of ripe black currants intermixed with copious toasty, spicy oak. This soft, lush sleeper of the vintage is ideal for drinking over the next 7-8 years.

Very attractive aromas of crushed berries and cinnamon follow through to a medium body, with fine tannins and a caressing finish. Refined and pretty. Hard not to drink now. Best after 2010. 30,000 cases made.

91-93 A huge, tannin-packed wine which shows how the wines of St.-Estèphe are exhibiting their classic dryness and power. It will develop slowly, but surely.

Raspberry, blueberry and mineral character. Full body with superfine tannins. A little austere now but just coming around. Shows a touch of class. Better in 2015.

Good red-ruby color. Aromas of plum, berries, chocolate, smoke and herbs. Supple, generous and sweet if without the concentration of a top year. But this is silky and attractive. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins and a suggestion of greenness. I'd drink this one in the medium term, say over the next 8 to 12 years. The 2006 may possess somewhat stronger material-and more class.

Deep, dense purple with a violet sheen. A sweet, cherry-driven bouquet with red berry compote and stewed plums, supple and charming on the attack. On the palate, juicy and finely textured, with an unbridled sweetness in the extract, plenty of vanilla and toasty notes on the finish. A Haut-Marbuzet (as in the early barrique days) with a clearly pronounced oak character, but with well-integrated wood, very modern.

Deep, dense purple with violet highlights. A sweet, cherry-driven bouquet with red-berry compote and stewed plums, soft and charming on the attack. On the palate, juicy and finely textured, with an untamed sweetness of extract, lots of vanilla and toasty notes on the finish. This is exactly how Haut-Marbuzet used to taste, before the barrique craze took off. This time, despite a very pronounced oaky character, the integration of the wood is very successful. A very modern wine—for freaks!

Sweet, opulent, rich, generous bouquet with vanilla, caramel, and blackberry jam. Generous, dry palate with a rather slender structure and plenty of fine tannins. Dry, over-extracted finish. 17/20 2012 - 2025

A beautiful deep color. Lovely fruity, fresh nose, with a hint of oak and a touch of green notes. The attack on the palate is supple and not very dense. The density comes later, in the mid-palate. There, the wine builds with an upward progression—very, very flavorful—carried by fine-grained tannins, never overtly oaky, and packed with aromas on the finish. And it’s the persistence that makes all the difference.