Haut-Brion has the longest paper trail of any Bordeaux estate. Samuel Pepys drank a wine he spelled 'Ho Bryan' in a London tavern in 1663 and thought it worth writing down, which makes this the first château in the world to be sold under its own name. In 1855 it was the only property outside the Médoc admitted to the rank of first growth, and it is still there, its vines now ringed by the suburbs of Pessac rather than open countryside.
By 1974 the Dillon family had owned it for four decades and Jean-Bernard Delmas was running the cellar. Haut-Brion had been the first classed growth in Bordeaux to ferment in stainless steel, from 1961, which at the time was treated as something close to heresy. The vintage was wet and awkward and few 1974s were built to last, though the first growths came through it better than most.
Half a century on, the value here is in the name and the year: a first growth carrying one particular date.
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Producer: Château Haut-Brion
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Vintage: 1974
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Appellation: Pessac-Léognan AOC
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Format: 75cl
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Region: Bordeaux, France
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Style: Red
Where it is likely to be now. The first growths made the best of 1974, but at this age the wine will be fully mature and fragile, and drinkability is not guaranteed.
Who it suits. For a fifty-second birthday where the label has to be recognised across the room — Haut-Brion is one of the handful of names a non-drinker will still know.
Condition. The holding cellar grades it simply as good; we verify the fill, capsule and label ourselves and send you photographs before dispatch.
Provenance. Bought to order from a professional European merchant. We check fill, label and capsule when the bottle reaches us and photograph it before it ships.
Delivered in 7 to 10 working days, tracked. Transit cover can be added at checkout.
Sold as a collectible item, as seen. No guarantee is given on drinkability.
