2008  

What a wonderful story...and here is a chance to own a bit of Bordeaux history. Allary is a tiny 1.3ha plot in the heart of the Haut Brion vineyard. The wine is stunning. Made from 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The property had been owned by the Allary family since 1919. From 1954 until 1978, it was bottled under the name La Passion Haut-Brion, but new French laws forbade making two château wines in the same cellar, unless owned by the same people, so from 1979 to 2007, Haut-Brion blended the wine into their second wine, Bahans Haut-Brion. The Allary family regained control of their plots in 2006 and this, the 2008 bottling was their first commercial vintage, with Stephane Derenoncourt as consultant. The vineyard was sold to Domaine Clarence Dillon in 2012.

1975  4th Growth

"Early in this wine's life, it tasted precocious and forward for the normally tannic, hard wines of the vintage. However, this wine has now firmed up, and it should turn out to be the longest-lived Beychevelle of the seventies. Dark ruby, with a ripe, spicy, leather-and-black currant-scented bouquet, this full-bodied, weighty, muscular Beychevelle is atypically powerful. Whether it will ever resolve all the tannins remains debatable." - WA, 1/98

1999  2nd Growth, OWC

"A deep garnet red with purple hues . An intensely aromatic nose with dominant red fruits (red cherry, plum) and hints of wood , roasted coffee and vanilla. A great aromatic complexity with spicy notes. When swirling the glass, perfect ripeness comes through.maturity is being revealed. A fullwide attack then silky sensations with soft tannins. A very dense, full-bodied structure with a finish packed full of fruit. A particularly long finish, leaving a very lasting, distinct ‘physical’ impression in the mouth. This wine is remarkable. It bears witness to the greatness of Margaux wines in 1999. One of the greatest successes of Chateau Brane-Cantenac." - Ch. Brane-Cantenac

1966  2nd Growth, 1 upper shoulder, 1 mid shoulder, slightly depressed corks

Belonging to the Lurton family since 1925, Château Brane-Cantenac owes its fame to an exceptional gravelly soil dating back to the quaternary era.

2005  Saint Julien

"The Grand Vin, the 2005 Beychevelle is a gorgeous wine, with plenty of crème de cassis, floral notes, underbrush and forest floor. It is sweet and medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannin and beautiful texture and purity. Drink it over the next 20 years." - 93pts WA

2003  

1975  Low Shoulder Fill

Low Shoulder Fill

2000  

"Aromas of chocolate along with roasted meats, charcoal, black currants, and damp earthy scents jump from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored 2000. Highly-extracted, medium to full-bodied, chewy, not terribly complex, but big, corpulent, and bold, if it pulls itself together and develops additional nuances, this wine will merit an outstanding score. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018." - WA

1998  

2003  

2007  

"Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Haut Brion has a perfumed bouquet with abundant red fruit, sage, sandalwood and black olive scents that just seem to soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, beautifully judged acidity and a gentle build in the mouth towards the savory/meaty finish. There is class interwoven into this Haut Brion from start to finish, and the persistence is very impressive. This is just reaching its drinking plateau. Tasted February 2017." - 94pts WA

2000