Château Haut-Brion: The Oldest Bordeaux First Growth and Pioneer of the Graves

The Pioneer of Bordeaux

• The first mentions of the vineyard date from 1521, when Jean de Pontac began construction of the château.
• Haut-Brion was the first Bordeaux wine to be marketed under its estate name, creating the very concept of a “cru.”
• In 1660, King Charles II of England mentioned it in his cellar records; the philosopher John Locke described it in 1677; Thomas Jefferson visited in 1787.
• In 1935, American banker Clarence Dillon purchased the estate. The Dillon family still owns it today.

A Unique Terroir

• 51 hectares of vines located at the gates of Bordeaux, in Pessac-Léognan, on gravel soils mixed with clay and sand.
• Red grape varieties: 45% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot—an unusually high proportion of Merlot for the Left Bank.
• Haut-Brion also produces a great white wine, Château Haut-Brion Blanc, in extremely limited quantities.

Style and Personality

• Haut-Brion is renowned for its finesse, aromatic complexity, and silky texture.
• Signature aromas: tobacco, leather, cedar, scorched earth, and black fruits, with a distinctive mineral signature.
• It is a wine of contemplation, of aristocratic elegance, often more approachable in youth than its Médoc counterparts.

The Estate’s Wines

• Château Haut-Brion (Grand Vin Rouge): The flagship, produced at approximately 10,000–12,000 cases per year.
• Le Clarence de Haut-Brion: The second wine (formerly Bahans Haut-Brion), introduced in 2007.
• Château Haut-Brion Blanc: A blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, one of the greatest dry white wines in the world.
• La Mission Haut-Brion: Sister property of the same group, an exceptional Cru Classé de Graves in its own right.