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.

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.

1989  

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

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

1985  

"Tasted blind at the 1985 Bordeaux horizontal, the 1985 Château Haut Brion is a lovely wine at the peak of its powers. It has an elegant bouquet with sandalwood and dried rose petals that combine effortlessly with vestiges of red berry fruit. I noticed how with time in the glass, it offers a "side order" of wild girolles! The palate is medium-bodied with a fine seam of acidity, delicate tertiary and leather tones infiltrating the red berry fruit, and while it does not have the audacity of the 1989 or 1990, the finesse on the finish completely wins you over. Simply drink, sit back and savor. Tasted July 2015." - 93pts WA

1978  

OWC

1986  Saint-Julien

Saint-Julien - 92pts WA - "Here is a classic example of a wine that is showing significantly more complexity and richness from the bottle than out of cask, although it was certainly a potentially outstanding wine when tasted from the barrel. In a vintage that produced a number of enormously structured, rich, concentrated wines, Lagrange is another of the blockbuster wines that seems capable of lasting 30-35 years. Black/ruby in color, with a closed but burgeoning bouquet of spicy new oak, black fruits, and flowers, this muscular, full-bodied, tannic wine is packed with fruit and is clearly one of the great long-distance runners from this vintage. I admire how the significant investment made by the Japanese owners in this property has paid off with a thrilling, albeit amazingly backward, wine. The finest Lagrange to date! Anticipated maturity: Now-2025. Last tasted, 1/97."

1988  

95 points Wine Spectator Complex aromas of dark chocolate, currant and cigar box. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a mouthpuckering finish. Still very concentrated and chewy. Finishes with loads of ripe fruits, tobacco and cedar. Big and juicy wine. Give it a couple of years still. (JS, Web Only-2009) 91 points Vinous The 1988 Lynch Bages is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc, plus 2% Petit Verdot that was picked at the beginning of October. It has a clean fresh bouquet with ample pure blackberry and raspberry notes, touches of graphite and tobacco, vibrant and very satisfying. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, crisp acidity, a little meatiness and cedar creeping in towards the finish and long and fresh from start to finish. This is a fine Lynch Bages from a period when Jean-Michel Cazes seemed to do no wrong. This would be one of my picks from the vintage given its market price. Tasted at the château. (NM) (5/2018)