Description

Professional Reviews

100 points Wine Advocate

For my money (and I have some in the cellar), the 1998 Haut-Brion is the finest vintage from this estate between 1989 and 2000, surpassing the 1990. While it remains decidedly youthful at age 25, it is beginning to stir, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berry fruit, cigar wrapper, loamy soil, pencil shavings and burning embers. Medium-bodied, deep and concentrated, it’s layered and elegant, with refined tannins, lively acids and a long, perfumed finish. Exemplifying the ideal of intensity without weight, it enjoys a slight edge over La Mission Haut-Brion in this banner year for both properties. (WK, 12/2023)

98 points International Wine Review

The 1998 Chateau Haut-Brion is showing remarkably well at this stage in its evolution. It instantly impresses with its wonderful aromatic profile of dried red berries and dark plums, laced with dried scorched earth, black truffles, tobacco, cedar box, spices and crushed gravel that all comes together gracefully. On the palate this offers a gorgeous full-body that is nicely structured with fine-grained tannins and seamless texture. Everything works together beautifully as this shows remarkable balance and and sophistication all the way through the elegant finish. (JD, 10/2022)

98 points Jeb Dunnuck

Just a spectacular wine in every sense, the 1998 is now fully mature yet still youthful, with a vivid ruby hue and little in the way of any bricking. Offering a kaleidoscope-like nose of red and black currants, scorched earth, truffles, tobacco, lead pencil, and ample crushed stone-like minerality, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and a thrilling finish. It needs about an hour in a decanter, but this is magical juice, and the bottle was emptied in record time. (11/2021)

97 points Wine Spectator

Dark color, with decadent aromas of truffles, meat, ripe berries and tobacco. Turns to sweet, crushed berries. Full-bodied, with very polished tannins and a berry and mineral aftertaste. The serious tannin structure is still hiding behind the fruit of the wine. Tightly wound and beautiful. Solid as a rock. A classic wine. (06/2009)

96 points Decanter

Agreeably approachable, with plump, plummy fruit aromas and accents of blackberry, spice and smoke. The texture is rich and round, with a supple, fleshy feel and suave tannins supporting the wine without astringency. The wine drinks well now while still seeming youthful and fresh, and there is enough substance to suggest that it will age admirably for years to come. There is a strong dominance of Merlot in the blend (59%), and the wine aged in 77% new oak casks until bottling in August of 2000. (CC, 07/2023)

96 points Vinous

The 1998 Haut-Brion is a vintage that has belatedly gained respect. It’s simply one of the First Growth’s best vintages since the 1989/1990. This bottle shows that it still deserves cellaring. With blackberry, crushed stone, tobacco and perhaps more floral/violet scents than I recall, it is an intense bouquet that does not hold back, yet is delivered with such panache. The palate is medium-bodied but, if anything, appears to have gained weight in recent years. Cedar-infused black fruit, allspice and tobacco, with a subtle marine influence, appear toward the finish. It is a fabulous Haut-Brion that should not be overlooked. (NM, 09/2023)

96 points James Suckling

The Haut-Brion showed super decadent character with foie gras, plums and tobacco. It was full body, round and beautifully textured. It lasted for minutes after tasting. (06/2016)