1964 | Chateau Gruaud Larose | Pessac-Leognan

Detailed Description

This was a hugely impressive bottle. Deep crimson, this wine looked as though it had quite a long life ahead. The strong smell of iodine should have told me straight away that is was Haut-Brion. Very dense, almost brooding but very complete and with lovely ripe fruit, presumably the result of the hot 1964 summer, this managed to make our bottle of Latour 1964 look almost puny. Hugely satisfying.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: 1964, while a mixed vintage for the wines of the Medoc as a result of many properties being caught by the heavy rains, was a very good year for the Graves chateaux. Haut-Brion’s 1964 is fully mature as evidenced by the amber edge to its color, and has a splendidly rich, earthy, tobacco-and-mineral-scented bouquet. Ripe, deep, supple, voluptuous flavors are present on the palate.

Producer Information

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.The vineyards were established in the 1530s by the Pontac family, changing hands several times throughout the ensuing centuries. Historical evidence shows that Haut-Brion was drunk by King Charles II and Thomas Jefferson, and the famous London diarist Samuel Pepys was also a fan of the wine.The estate was acquired by American Francophile Clarence Dillon in 1935 and has been managed by the family since.Haut-Brion is notable as being the only first growth in the Graves region south of Bordeaux city – Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour are all in Pauillac, while Château Margaux is – unsurprisingly – in Margaux.