The area around the north of the wine-growing region of Graves that hosts Château Haut-Brion has seen the growth of grapes since the time of the Romans, who first planted vines in the area around Bordeaux. The region became known as a quality wine and the Château Haut-Brion was built in 1549 when Jean de Pontac obtained the land through marriage. Proper wine cultivating in Château Haut-Brion started when the land was purchased by Lord Arnaud III de Pontac and wines from the vineyards are recorded in the wine cellar of English King Charles II. However, the change of hands meant the wine was sold under the Pontac label and would be up until the mid-1700s, which, given the number of estates owned by the Pontac family, can make it difficult to trace early production at the site.
In 1855, Haut-Brion achieved official classification as one of the “Crus Classés” – First Growth vineyards – which it has remained ever since. It is considered among many oenologists such as Robert M. Parker Jr., Jancis Robinson and Oz Clarke as being amongst the finest dry white wines produced anywhere in the world, with some critics even considering it better than the First Growth wine, Château Lafite Rothschild. Haut Brion produces around 40,000 bottles annually and retails anywhere from $500–700 per bottle. The wine is often described as being full-bodied and richly flavoured, but elegant. In his book on the wines of Bordeaux, Clive Coates describes it as ‘unashamedly powerful’ with an immense concentration of fruit from its time in oak barrels.
The estate is currently owned by the Dillon family and the company Société Vinicole de la Gironde, who were responsible for a number of renovations that helped the château regain its reputation as a producer of high-quality wines. The Dillon family has continued to work the vines and use traditional winemaking methods while being careful to preserve their wines’ unique character and history. Haut-Brion covers around 50 hectares with a grape composition of 52.6% Semillon and 47.4% Sauvignon Blanc for their white wines and 45.4% Merlot, 43.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot for their red. Production at the vineyards produces around 10,000 to 12,000 cases of their Grand Vin Château Haut-Brion, 650 to 850 cases of Château Haut-Brion Blanc, 5,000 to 7,000 cases of Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, and 1,000 to 1,200 cases of La Clarté de Haut-Brion.
