Chateau Haut Brion 1970

Chateau Haut Brion 1970

Brown rim. Brown sugar, olives and leather nose. Quite rich for 1970. Balanced and very smooth palate. Coffee & sweet red fruits. Fully mature, a highly enjoyable wine (and far cheaper than Latour.) Somewhat under-rated by others. Then again chez Alex Hunt in November 2005. Although a little musty at first, this wine grows and grows on you. A cool, blackberry leaf, cranberry nose with lots of cedar and pine is followed by a tannic, almost rustic, broad-shouldered palate with cedary, tobacco-infused fruit. Very classic in style but suited the venison perfectly.

Critical Acclaim

92 Wine Advocate

The 1970 Château Haut-Brion is a First Growth that has probably been over-shadowed by the Latour 1970 during its lifetime. However, this bottle proves that it is not to be underestimated; it highlights the glaring gap that exists between itself and another First Growth, the 1970 Château Margaux that I tasted alongside. There is plenty of vigor on the nose with dashing red berry fruit, cedar and black olive - just very Haut-Brion.The palate is medium-bodied, well balanced and fresh, nothing over-ambitious, just a Claret in the traditional sense of the word that gently builds towards a sous-bois dominated finish. This is an excellent showing, stout and a little austere, and you could argue an Haut-Brion with its peak in its wing-mirrors. Yet good bottles such as this will continue to offer pleasure for another decade. 

90 Wine Spectator

Very firm, with ripe plum and currant notes coming through its chewy texture, finishing with woodsy, bitter chocolate overtones. A sturdy wine that keeps threatening to become supple.