FEATURES ARCHIVE

Fit for a King…
One of the five central pillars of the historic Bordeaux order, Château Haut-Brion had the honor of being the only wine in the seminal 1855 Bordeaux classification that came from the Graves district, located south of the larger Médoc. To add further distinction, it was one of only four châteaux to receive the prestigious Premier Cru, or “first growth,” designation. Before this classification, its reputation as a Bordeaux trailblazer was already well-secured, with records showing English King Charles II serving it to his guests at court, and Samuel Pepys, the London diarist, celebrating its virtues in the mid-17th century.

…and for a President
According to American President Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the Graves district produced the finest of all the Bordeaux wines. At its best, wines from the region produce Cabernet-dominated, mineral scented and aristocratic wines from grapes grown on deep gravel soils. Haut-Brion, an estate of only 45 hectares, provides the leading benchmark for this area.

1978: A Classic Year
Our forthcoming Hamptons Sale will present eight cases of the 1978 vintage, each offered in original wooden cases sourced from a leading New York private cellar. A vintage that rarely appears on the market, these wines will provide a sensory delight to any curious and inquisitive wine lover. Clive Coates MW has said the 1978 is fully mature, describing it as having a soft, aromatic nose, properly ripe, vigorous and balanced on the palate, with a very good length. Any successful bidder will have the chance to immediately enjoy these wines with good friends over dinner, and savor a remarkable creation from one of the world’s grandest, most-celebrated and most-regal . fine wine producers.