2003 Blanc

Although limited in availability, Haut-Brion Blanc is the Rolls Royce of the dry white wines of Graves. The colossal 2003 is super-rich, full-bodied, and unctuously-textured with plenty of fig, melon, honeysuckle, and bees’ wax characteristics in addition to enormous concentration and a huge finish. Remarkably, the grapes for this cuvee were harvested in mid-August. It should evolve and drink well for 30+ years.

Brilliant pale straw-yellow color. Exotic aromas of peach and honeysuckle. Huge, thick and fat; less racy and aromatic than the 2004 but wonderfully dense and full and extremely long. Finishes with an almost tannic impression and surprising dryness. The 2004 and 2003 are like two different styles of white Burgundy, notes Jean-Philippe Delmas: 2004 is the minerally side of chardonnay while 2003 is the opulent side. Both of these young wines are splendid.

(a blend of 52% semillon and 48% sauvignon blanc) Pale yellow. Highly nuanced nose combines honeysuckle, lime peel, grapefruit, mint and lemon verbena; shows near-miraculous lift considering the extreme heat at the start of the harvest. Bright, aromatic and penetrating on entry, with citrus and spice flavors. Then impossibly silky and rich on the back half, expanding in volume through a remarkably long finish without losing its freshness or grip. Wonderfully rich and complex, with no undue sweetness. The estate loved the sauvignon and included almost all of it in the blend. Of the 2003 white Graves I tasted this spring, the Haut Brion towered above the rest of the pack.