98-99 Point Wines

wines

Easily the top wine of Pessac-Léognan, the 2012 from Haut-Brion has extraordinary flesh and intensity, with an unctuousness and thickness that is almost hard to believe for a dry white wine. The high proportion of Semillon in this blend has given the wine an almost liquid mandarin orange note intermixed with caramelized citrus, honeysuckle, fig and crushed rock. This absolutely profound dry white wine is full-bodied and capable of lasting 40-50 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPThis wine encompasses all the star qualities of white Bordeaux. Lemon and grapefruit tones are balanced by ripe yellow fruit and spicy toastiness. Everything is in harmony in this wine that is sure to age well. Drink from 2019.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThis displays an impressive profile, with rich white peach, salted butter, macadamia nut, tangerine and warm brioche notes that show superior cut and definition, thanks to a terrific quinine accent that ripples on and on through the gorgeous finish. Should be rather long-lived, too. Best from 2017 through 2030. 574 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSFine lemon-yellow, floral, more white than yellow fruits with a lifted, taffeta elegance compared to La Mission white, the Chevalier to La Mission’s Batard and both of them of Montrachet standing, a beautifully expressive wine of great length and finesse. Drinking Window 2015 - 2035.Decanter | 96 DECThis is soft and round textured yet shows bright and lively acidity. It’s full-bodied, layered and beautiful. Sandalwood, dried apples and lemon rind. Layered and dense. Give it two or three years of bottle age.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2012 Haut-Brion Blanc is utterly captivating from the very first taste. An intensely mineral-infused bouquet makes a strong opening statement. Gunpowder, graphite, lemon oil, sage and mint open up with time in the glass. Rich and expansive on the palate, the 2012 possesses remarkable depth and nuance. It should drink well for several decades. Today, the 2012 is superb, but it should be even better in another few years.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

This is still a bit closed on the nose, but on the palate it is rippling with ripe-apricot and orange character. Dense and rich, almost to the point of being unctuous, although this is properly dry. Serious tannin structure behind the lavish exterior, which, together with the fresh acidity, keeps this on course through the very generous finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSBouchard’s holding here is superb: 0.90ha on the edge of the Puligny side at midslope between Ramonet and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. In 2019, Bouchard emphasised the richness by picking this parcel last. Ripe apples, white flowers and even a touch of honey make their appearance on the nose, while the texture on the palate is unctuous and deep without being heavy. There is still enough freshness to keep this lively through the intensely long finish. (Drink between 2024-2039)Decanter | 97 DECAromas of white flowers, fresh peach, toasted bread, mandarin oil and pastry cream introduce Bouchard’s 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru, a full-bodied, layered and multidimensional wine that’s deep and concentrated, with racy acids, terrific mid-palate amplitude and a long, saline finish. Broad shouldered and powerful without being at all overbearing, it’s an exemplary rendition of this celebrated site.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru has a complex bouquet of crushed chalk, mirabelle, apricot and light vanilla pod aromas, plus just a touch of white chocolate in the background. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite powerful and very well defined. Orange zest, mandarin and lemon thyme notes feature on a very long finish that fans out extremely well. Superb. Vinous Media | 94-96 VMSpicy and notably ripe yet fresh aromas of petrol, white peach and plenty of floral elements give way to slightly finer though less concentrated flavors that possess focused power and evident minerality on the compact, youthfully austere and more structured finale that flashes huge length. While qualitatively quite similar, the two wines offer distinctly different personalities. (Drink starting 2034)Burghound | 93-95 BH