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Château La Tour Haut-Brion

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2005
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
90
The final vintage for this wine, before it was decided to blend in with the second wine of La Mission Haut Brion serves up a smoke filled, tannic, slightly rustic wine with tobacco, forest and black cherry aromas. Give it at least 5-10 more years to soften and develop.

The final vintage for this wine, before it was decided to blend in with the second wine of La Mission Haut Brion serves up a smoke filled, tannic, slightly rustic wine with tobacco, forest and black cherry aromas. Give it at least 5-10 more years to soften and develop.

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2004
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
89
Better on the nose, with its smoky, cherry pipe tobacco and forest floor scents, than on the black cherry and leafy palate.

Better on the nose, with its smoky, cherry pipe tobacco and forest floor scents, than on the black cherry and leafy palate.

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2000
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
91
Full bodied, tannic and on the masculine side fo the style range, with 2 hours in the decanter and some effort, wet earth, tobacco, cedar chest and tobacco notes begin to emerge. Still young, perhaps 5 more years in the bottle should allow the wine to soften and develop its aromatics.

Full bodied, tannic and on the masculine side fo the style range, with 2 hours in the decanter and some effort, wet earth, tobacco, cedar chest and tobacco notes begin to emerge. Still young, perhaps 5 more years in the bottle should allow the wine to soften and develop its aromatics.

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1996
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
85
Tannic, rustic, medium bodied and better on the nose than the palate, there is not much fruit left in this wine. I'd opt for drinking this sooner than later.

Tannic, rustic, medium bodied and better on the nose than the palate, there is not much fruit left in this wine. I'd opt for drinking this sooner than later.

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1995
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
90
Tannic, youthful, austere, full bodied, strict style of wine, with a beguiling nose of tobacco, cigar store, burning wood and red berries. Concentrated and tannic, this is classic in every sense of the word. Another decade might help soften things out, but that is a very long to wait for this to come around.

Tannic, youthful, austere, full bodied, strict style of wine, with a beguiling nose of tobacco, cigar store, burning wood and red berries. Concentrated and tannic, this is classic in every sense of the word. Another decade might help soften things out, but that is a very long to wait for this to come around.

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1990
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
92
Concentrated, powerful, beefy and leaning slightly to the rustic side with its tannins, the nose is just great. It is all about the cigar box, tobacco, smoked meat, cedar and spicy side, with a jumble of red fruits. This is not a delicate wine. Instead, it is quite old-school. This is close to its peak level of maturity.

Concentrated, powerful, beefy and leaning slightly to the rustic side with its tannins, the nose is just great. It is all about the cigar box, tobacco, smoked meat, cedar and spicy side, with a jumble of red fruits. This is not a delicate wine. Instead, it is quite old-school. This is close to its peak level of maturity.

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1989
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
91
Great, complex, smoky, tobacco, cigar box, campfire and dark red fruit nose. Powerful and concentrated on the palate, but the wine is on the stern, rustic, unforgiving side.

Great, complex, smoky, tobacco, cigar box, campfire and dark red fruit nose. Powerful and concentrated on the palate, but the wine is on the stern, rustic, unforgiving side.

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1982
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
93
A very good example of old school claret with a lot of tobacco, cedar, smoke and cigar box notes on the nose. Big, powerful and a bit too tannic for its own good. There is a strong, gruff character to the tannins and a strictness found here, that is going to be a turn on to folks thinking the best wines in Bordeaux were made before 1961. There is no hurry to drink it, it is always going to retain its character, even as the wine evolves.

A very good example of old school claret with a lot of tobacco, cedar, smoke and cigar box notes on the nose. Big, powerful and a bit too tannic for its own good. There is a strong, gruff character to the tannins and a strictness found here, that is going to be a turn on to folks thinking the best wines in Bordeaux were made before 1961. There is no hurry to drink it, it is always going to retain its character, even as the wine evolves.

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Cedar wood, mint, tobacco, smoke, burnt wood, blackberry, cassis and tar create the nose. Big, tannic, full bodied and powerful, the wine packs an old school, beefy character filled with a wallop of cassis, green pepper and cherry griotte. This is the finest example of 82 La Tour Haut Brion I’ve ever tasted. Other bottles have not shown as well.

Cedar wood, mint, tobacco, smoke, burnt wood, blackberry, cassis and tar create the nose. Big, tannic, full bodied and powerful, the wine packs an old school, beefy character filled with a wallop of cassis, green pepper and cherry griotte. This is the finest example of 82 La Tour Haut Brion I’ve ever tasted. Other bottles have not shown as well.

3,888 Views   Tasted
Still on the young side, this classic style of Bordeaux is tannic, powerful, concentrated and firm, with complex aromatics and depth. This is good now and will get even better with time.

Still on the young side, this classic style of Bordeaux is tannic, powerful, concentrated and firm, with complex aromatics and depth. This is good now and will get even better with time.

4,539 Views   Tasted
Masculine, powerful, tannic and structured, the fruit is quality, the structure is there for further aging, but this is not a delicate, elegant or refined wine that you can sip easily, it requires thought and concentration, plus an appreciation for the type of Bordeaux wine made 30, 40 or 50 years ago.

Masculine, powerful, tannic and structured, the fruit is quality, the structure is there for further aging, but this is not a delicate, elegant or refined wine that you can sip easily, it requires thought and concentration, plus an appreciation for the type of Bordeaux wine made 30, 40 or 50 years ago.

4,000 Views   Tasted
Served double blind, this bottle looked and tasted much older than it should have. Cassis, blackberry, cedar and earthy scents revealed a wine that was soft, polished and round in texture. This bottle was prematurely aged as other, recent examples displayed more tannin along with a stronger expression of its traditional, rustic personality. I have had much better examples of this classic, Pessac Leognan wine.

Served double blind, this bottle looked and tasted much older than it should have. Cassis, blackberry, cedar and earthy scents revealed a wine that was soft, polished and round in texture. This bottle was prematurely aged as other, recent examples displayed more tannin along with a stronger expression of its traditional, rustic personality. I have had much better examples of this classic, Pessac Leognan wine.

3,986 Views   Tasted
Smoke, leather, tar, hot bricks, tobacco, eucalypts, blackberry, cassis and spice scents produce an intriguing perfume. Make no bones about it, this is an old school, rustic, masculine style of wine. It's powerful, steely, slightly austere, full bodied and still has tannin to resolve. For lovers of old school Bordeaux that could be how wine from the 20's, 30's and 40's were made, this is for you. I have a few bottles in my cellar that in the name of science, I'm waiting at least another 10-20 years to open.

Smoke, leather, tar, hot bricks, tobacco, eucalypts, blackberry, cassis and spice scents produce an intriguing perfume. Make no bones about it, this is an old school, rustic, masculine style of wine. It's powerful, steely, slightly austere, full bodied and still has tannin to resolve. For lovers of old school Bordeaux that could be how wine from the 20's, 30's and 40's were made, this is for you. I have a few bottles in my cellar that in the name of science, I'm waiting at least another 10-20 years to open.

3,970 Views   Tasted
This beefy, powerful rustic, old school style of Graves is not made any more. Powerful, concentrated and intense, the wine is packed with smoke, spice, cedar, tobacco, cassis and tannin. Brawny, potent and packed with layers of chewy Cabernet Sauvignon, this is still tannic and requires a few more years. However, it's always going to retain it's old school style. The final vintage of La Tour Haut Brion was 2006. The wine is now part of the second wine for La Mission Haut Brion.

This beefy, powerful rustic, old school style of Graves is not made any more. Powerful, concentrated and intense, the wine is packed with smoke, spice, cedar, tobacco, cassis and tannin. Brawny, potent and packed with layers of chewy Cabernet Sauvignon, this is still tannic and requires a few more years. However, it's always going to retain it's old school style. The final vintage of La Tour Haut Brion was 2006. The wine is now part of the second wine for La Mission Haut Brion.

3,956 Views   Tasted
Cassis, tar, scorched earth and herbal aromas are easy to discern. This is a powerful, brawny, forceful, extremely tannic, rustic, masculine style of wine that needs another decade to round out.

Cassis, tar, scorched earth and herbal aromas are easy to discern. This is a powerful, brawny, forceful, extremely tannic, rustic, masculine style of wine that needs another decade to round out.

4,139 Views   Tasted
1978
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
94
This wine, or was it the bottle, seemed like it was from the 90’s. This dark, powerful wine was stuffed with cigar box, tar, leather, tobacco, cassis and truffle notes. Dense and concentrated with a slightly brawny personality, this potent brew finished with a long sensation of smoky black fruit and spicy dark berries.

This wine, or was it the bottle, seemed like it was from the 90’s. This dark, powerful wine was stuffed with cigar box, tar, leather, tobacco, cassis and truffle notes. Dense and concentrated with a slightly brawny personality, this potent brew finished with a long sensation of smoky black fruit and spicy dark berries.

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1959
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
90
The problem with this bottle was the VA, which marred what otherwise could be a very good wine. Still, there is concentration, depth, vivacity and layers of tart, fresh, ripe, smoky, ash and tar nuanced berries. I imagine a clean bottle of this would be a knockout.

The problem with this bottle was the VA, which marred what otherwise could be a very good wine. Still, there is concentration, depth, vivacity and layers of tart, fresh, ripe, smoky, ash and tar nuanced berries. I imagine a clean bottle of this would be a knockout.

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1953
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
95
Robust, rustic, charming and classic, this was a treat to have in my glass. The wine has presence, depth, complexity, concentration and length. It was amazing to find this much power as it inches its way past its 65th birthday.

Robust, rustic, charming and classic, this was a treat to have in my glass. The wine has presence, depth, complexity, concentration and length. It was amazing to find this much power as it inches its way past its 65th birthday.

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1949
Château La Tour Haut-Brion  (Pessac-Léognan)
88
There are some vestiges of red fruits remaining, but you need to look deep inside all the cedar, tobacco leaf, cigar box, and tobacco smoke to find them. The finish is short, but such is life when a wine is almost 73 years of age.

There are some vestiges of red fruits remaining, but you need to look deep inside all the cedar, tobacco leaf, cigar box, and tobacco smoke to find them. The finish is short, but such is life when a wine is almost 73 years of age.

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File this under the "Wines I never thought I'd taste category," this must have been a beauty in its youth. Smoky, earthy, tar, leather, herbs, green leaf and wet forest floor notes held court over the remaining red fruits. A little rustic, this is a nice example of a classic, old-school, fading claret that was probably a lot of fun to taste during its hey-day.

File this under the "Wines I never thought I'd taste category," this must have been a beauty in its youth. Smoky, earthy, tar, leather, herbs, green leaf and wet forest floor notes held court over the remaining red fruits. A little rustic, this is a nice example of a classic, old-school, fading claret that was probably a lot of fun to taste during its hey-day.

1,650 Views   Tasted