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The 2010 Haut-Brion may take patience, but should be well worth the wait.

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Tasting at Haut-Brion

Notes on the 2010 reds and whites from the first-growth and its sister in Pessac-Léognan

Posted: Mar 29, 2011 10:00am ET

The expressway that circles the city of Bordeaux has become a major artery for commuters and long-haul truckers, and traffic on the rocade is always bad. So I avoided it for the short drive from my hotel to Pessac, the Bordeaux suburb that now engulfs the historic château and vineyards of first-growth Haut-Brion.

Jean-Philippe Delmas, the technical director at the sister châteaus of Haut-Brion and La Mission-Haut-Brion, which are just opposite each other, has a big vintage on his hands. Of all the first-growths, these wines were easily the most backward examples of the 2010 vintage yet. Delmas was dealing with too much of a good thing, which he admits made for a tough time deciding on the blend.

Below are my notes on the 2010 Haut-Brion red and white, as well as those of La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion and La Mission-Haut-Brion.