TN: 2011 Chateau Haut Brion, Pessac-Léognan

[OrlandoRobert]

While not a heralded vintage, often these so-called off-vintages yield some red-fruited beauties. This Haut Brion ranks up there with the 2011 Vieux Chateau Certan as the two major successes of the vintage. With a healthy cut of Cab Franc in this vintage, the wine shows a Chinon-range of dry earth, smoke, red fruits and some lovely savory, saline-laden notes. Really lithe and silky on the palate. Low alcohol, tannins resolving, this is a very enjoyable drink right now. Enjoyed over the course of a several hour meal with other wines, including an over-powering 2008 Dal Forno Romano, and this Haut Brion really stole the show and paired so well with the charcuterie plate and duck confit entree. Hard to justify the cost, but an excellent success in the vintage.

(93 pts.)

[AKR]

Very nice!

[robert goulet]

I think the 2011 vintage will reveal plenty of sleeper gems

[JimHow]

As we have recounted here, 2011 Calon Segur is a beauty.

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for the note Robert. Could well be a wine to treasure for the future because both HB and LMHB have struggled to contain alcohol levels in the last 10-15 years. The worst offender in that regard I think is ‘10 La Mish @>15%ABV.

FWIW the 2011 vintages gets very short shrift here among the critics or merchants like Stephen Browett who rates it below 2007 and 2003 - just plain wrong imho. No trophy sure but a pretty honest and respectable vintage all round, with the bonus of accessibility and moderate alcohol.

[Racer Chris]

I think 2011 suffers from high pricing. If they had come back to sanity sooner instead of waiting to 2014, the 2011 vintage would be more popular.

[Ianjaig]

Both the 11 and 12 are on sale over here for $899 a pop ($600 US) but I cant bring myself to justify the spend on a single bottle..