Château Haut-Brion 2025 Pessac-Léognan 1er Grand Cru Classé - OWC3

Wine Advocate
98-100 punten
The 2025 Haut-Brion is, as usual, more reserved and austere at this stage than La Mission, unwinding in the glass to reveal notions of dark wild berries mingled with spices, pencil leaf and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it’s built around a multidimensional core of fruit framed by structuring yet well-integrated tannins, delivering a notably controlled expression of power and concluding with a long, perfumed, subtly ethereal finish. While still tightly knit at this stage, it possesses considerable depth-IPT (an alaytical measure of tannic concentration) levels exceeding 100, rarely observed-that is perfectly controlled and will require extended cellaring. Recent refinements in the estate’s approach, notably in viticulture, are translating into fruit of greater balance and freshness, even under the warm, dry conditions of 2025. It stands as one of the more impressive renditions of Haut-Brion in recent years.

Jeb Dunnuck
97-100 punten
A Merlot-forward blend of 62% Merlot, 26.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.8% Cabernet Franc aged in 60% new French oak, the 2025 Château Haut-Brion is slightly more dense and structured compared to its sibling, La Mission. Gorgeous black cherries, graphite, scorched earth, and smoke all define the bouquet, and on the palate it's remarkably pure, with polished, serious tannins, and incredible length. Its purity, concentration, and overall sense of class are riveting.

Neal Martin, Vinous
98-100 punten
The 2025 Haut-Brion was picked from September 1 (slightly later than La Mission) to September 18 at 29 hl/ha. Aged in 59% new oak, this has a very pure and elegant bouquet with ebullient brambly red fruit, crushed stone, potpourri and touches of Earl Grey. Wonderful delineation and a little more refined than, say, the 2020 or 2022. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, and there is more complexity here than La Mission, more depth and mineralité.  Fresh and marine-tinged towards the finish that makes you want to come back. This year, the First Growth has put a bit of distance between itself and La Mission.

Decanter
98(-100 punten)
One of the wines of the vintage for me and a clear contender for a 100-point score in bottle. Sticky liquorice and blackcurrant fruit on the nose, dark and slightly heady with fragrant jasmine aspects. Bright, alive, glossy and so perfectly weighted on the palate - more streamlined than LMHB at this point but still with chew and bounce. Lovely vibrancy capturing the ripe fruit of the vintage with a crisp, tense and cool base of spiced raspberries, cherries and touches of cranberry. Stony but delicately leaving a soft gravel and salinity on the tongue. Delicious - this knocks it out of the park. Adore it! A yield of 26hl/ha.

James Suckling
98-99 punten
Haut-Brion delivers a red with great structure and length and superb intensity and power. It is a full-bodied red with character and depth, giving it endless length. Muscular yet polished and agile. Juicy at the end. 62% merlot, 26.2% cabernet sauvignon and 11.8% cabernet franc.

The Wine Cellar Insider
97-99 punten
At the moment, it takes a bit of effort to fully appreciate the aromatics. But with swirling, you find flowers, Cuban cigars, black pit fruits, blackberries, smoke, mesquite, blue fruits, herbs, and exotic spices. On the palate, the fruit purity will knock out any wine taster. Elegant, silky, long, and precise, the seamless finish starts slowly and builds from there. Seamless in its delivery, this is a sublime vintage for Haut Brion. The wine was shaped in part by its dry summer and August rains, which lowered the ABV level and provided more lift to the concentrated berries. The wine blends 62% Merlot, 26.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.8% Cabernet Franc. 13% ABV, 3.7 pH. Picking took place September 1 - September 18. Yields were 29 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2030-2075.

Jancis Robinson
18/20 punten
Lifted and fresh. More perceptible acidity than La Mission. Really powerful tannic frame but less velvety and plush than some years. Plenty of vigour but clearly a work in progress.

Falstaff
98 punten
Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, violet reflections, delicate rim brightening. Nuances of cassis, tobacco, delicate hints of precious wood, some cardamom and cinnamon, blackberry jam, very multi-faceted bouquet. Complex, elegant, ripe heart cherries, dark wild berry confit, fine, ripe tannins, rich in finesse and elegant, has great length and elegance, already appears well developed and will quickly guarantee great drinking pleasure.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown 
96-98 punten
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Haut-Brion slowly emerges from the glass with powerful notes of ripe plums and fresh blueberries, plus hints of red cherries, licorice, and cardamom with wafts of violets and iron ore. Medium-bodied, the palate is both elegant and intense with firm, fine-grained tannins and a refreshing line, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. The blend is 62% Merlot, 26.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.8% Cabernet Franc. The alcohol is 13.05%. This is aging in French oak barrels, 59% new. The pH is 3.7.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous
96-98 punten
The 2025 Haut-Brion is quite the powerhouse. Black fruit, cloves, new leather, tobacco, chocolate and menthol open before a wave of huge tannins and incisive acids take over. Haut-Brion can be rather dark and somber. That is very much the case with the 2025, a wine that speaks with sepia-toned, baritone inflections. It also conveys more obvious ripeness than La Mission Haut-Brion at this stage.