Château Haut-Brion

The history of Château Haut-Brion's lands goes back to the 1st century AD. A coin bearing the effigy of the Roman Emperor Claudius was found on a gravelly hillside. However, the first mention of a wine produced on these lands dates back to 1521. In 1533, Jean de Pontac acquired the estate, making this château the oldest of the Bordeaux Grands Crus. The construction of the château did not take place until 16 years later. Since then, this wine estate has changed owners three times.

Throughout its existence, Château Haut-Brion has never stopped developing and improving. The estate is particularly noted for its many innovations, which have contributed greatly to its success. Its techniques were then propagated throughout the Bordeaux vineyards, and then throughout the world!

Under the direction of Arnaud III de Pontac, Château Haut-Brion is, for example, at the origin of the "New French Claret" style of wine, the forerunner of all the red fine wines of today, thanks to the implementation of various conservation techniques (maceration, long ageing, topping up and racking)

In 1923, Château Haut-Brion was also one of the first estates to practice bottling at the château. Acquired by the American banker Clarence Dillon in 1935, the estate has since remained in the same family with Prince Robert of Luxembourg, his great-grandson, at the helm.

Over the centuries, many events have marked the rich and fascinating history of Château Haut-Brion, which cannot be missed!

On the occasion of the Paris Exposition Universelle, Château Haut-Brion received the rare distinction of "Premier Grand Cru Classé" in the prestigious 1855 classification alongside Châteaux Margaux, Lafite and Latour. It is the only red wine vineyard outside the Médoc.

Placed at the top of the hierarchy of the Pessac Léognan AOC Fine Wines, the red Château Haut-Brion, also a "Cru Classé de Graves", is born from the blending of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties.

Depending on the vintage, a small proportion of Petit Verdot may be added. Elegant and remarkably complex, this red wine is very mineral and surprisingly long-lasting.

A blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, Château Haut-Brion white seduces with its aromatic richness, density and length.

Château Haut-Brion also produces a second wine called Clarence de Haut-Brion. In collaboration with Château La Mission Haut-Brion, it also produces the second white wine Clarté de Haut-Brion.

Situated in the commune of Pessac, at the gateway to Bordeaux, in the northern part of the Graves wine region, the vineyard of Château Haut-Brion covers an area of more than 50 hectares. Most of the vineyard is planted with red grape varieties: 48% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Vines of the Semillon (53%), Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris (47%) grape varieties are also grown.

The vineyard of Château Haut-Brion has a unique terroir and lies on a vast terrace of gravel, forming fine ridges. These are small pebbles composed of different varieties of quartz. Beneath these gravelly soils lies a subsoil of clay, limestone, sand and falun dating from the end of the Tertiary era. These gravel deposits, which vary in thickness from about twenty centimetres to more than three metres, benefit from an excellent exposure. The slopes guarantee natural drainage of the soil.

To discover the red wines of the estate, Clarence de Haut-Brion is an excellent introduction. This second wine has an elegance and style similar to that of the red Château Haut-Brion.

Produced since the early 20th century, it was formerly known as Château Bahans Haut-Brion. As of the 2017 vintage, it is renamed with its current name to pay tribute to Clarence Dillon.