2003 Chateau Haut-Brion - Pessac-Léognan 1er Grand Cru Classé - 2 Half Bottle (0.375L)

Haut Brion has a history of producing outstanding wines over the past 200 years. As a result, the status of the Chateau has been classified as Premier Grand Cru Classe of Bordeaux! Château Haut-Brion is the oldest of Bordeaux's five first growths, and one of the most famous wines in the world. Located in Pessac-Léognan, south of the city of Bordeaux, the château is rather far removed from its counterparts, all of which are found in the Médoc. Haut-Brion is notable as being the only first growth in Graves – Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour are all in Pauillac, while Château Margaux is – perhaps not surprisingly – in Margaux. Haut-Brion's red wine is its key line, comprising most of the château's output, but it is also unusual in that it has a corresponding white wine that shares the simple "Haut-Brion" name. The Haut-Brion cuvée tends to have more Merlot than the wines from the Medoc, with Cabernet Sauvignon in more of a supporting role. As such, Haut-Brion is more rounded and softer than other Left Bank wines. The château describes the wine as having an empyreumatic bouquet. The property is on the outskirts of Bordeaux, and is now surrounded by encroaching buildings and roads. It is also flanked by La Mission Haut-Brion, which was bought by Haut-Brion's owners in the early 1980s. The Dillon family also own several other Bordeaux estates, the most famous of which is Quintus.