Weinwisser 
50 % Merlot, 38 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 % Cabernet Franc, 13,8 Vol.-%, 48 hl/ha. Dicht verwobenes Bouquet mit frisch gepflückter schwarzer Johannisbeere, Olivenpaste und dunklem Edelholz. Im zweiten Ansatz Sommertrüffel, Palisander und Burleytabak. Am komplexen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, kakaoartigem Tannin, zarte Muskeln spürbar, ungemein tiefgründig mit perfekt geformtem Körper. Im konzentrierten Finale kleine schwarze Beeren, schwarze Johannisbeerpastillen und erhabene Adstringenz mit ganz kleinen (körnigen) Ecken. Perfekt dem Jahrgang angepasst, erinnert (wegen des tieferen Alkohols) an 1990 mit mehr Präzision im Weinberg, ganz klar Klassenprimus aus Pessac! 

Wine Advocate 
A candidate for the title of wine of the vintage, the 2021 Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass with aromas of rich red and black fruit mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, licorice, black truffles, loamy soil and burning embers. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's elegant and multidimensional, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ultra-refined tannins. Combining the classical proportions of the vintages of two decades ago with the viticultural and winemaking of today, it's a timeless classic in the making, but it's difficult to find an obvious analogy with an older vintage. When pressed, Jean-Philippe Delmas suggests a superior version of the 2014 vintage, and to me, a more concentrated, serious version of the 2012 vintage also comes to mind. What is clear, however, is that this is one of the real high points of 2021. The blend is 50% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc, and it attained 13.8% alcohol—a percentage point or so lower than in 2020 or 2019. 

James Suckling 
A very structured young Haut-Brion with blackberry, blackcurrant, black-olive and mushroom character. Medium to full-bodied with a driving balance of firm and ripe tannins and gorgeous fruit. 50.3% merlot, 38% cabernet sauvignon and 11.7% cabernet franc.