Chateau Haut Brion
 
 
The oldest and the smallest (51ha, XX acres) of the first growths, Haut Brion is owned by the American Dillon family with Prince Robert of Luxembourg as president, and Jean-Philippe Delmas as director. A sense of excellence is everywhere here – they were among the first in Bordeaux  to introduce stainless steel tanks in the cellars (in 1961), and today these have evolved into specially-designed vats with two separate chambers for plot-by-plot vinification.
 
They have their own barrel makers on site, that unusually makes their entire yearly need of 1,000 barrels, and there is also a large on-site oenology laboratory and a micro-vineyard established by Jean-Bernard Delmas in 1970 to identify suitable new clones. Over the last 10 years, Haut Brion has increased the amount amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, and today it stands at 41% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc.
 
Vineyard selection has also been increased, with successive harvest dates for the same plots of vines to ensure picking at absolute ripeness (long practised for the white grapes, but just recently introduced for the reds also). The result is an enormously layered, textured and subtly complex wine, with savoury touches against the deep red fruits, that is effortlessly elegant. Chateau Haut Brion Blanc is 45% Sauvignon, 55% Semillon. Second wine Chateau Bahans Haut Brion.