History of Château Haut-Brion
The origins of Château Haut-Brion trace back to 1525, making it the oldest of Bordeaux’s Premiers Grands Crus Classés and the first luxury wine brand in modern history. Jean de Pontac, who acquired the estate in the early 16th century, was instrumental in developing and promoting Haut-Brion wines. By the mid-17th century, the wine had already gained acclaim in London society, notably recorded by diarist Samuel Pepys in 1663 — the first known English reference to a wine by name and origin.
In 1855, during the famous Bordeaux Classification commissioned for the Exposition Universelle in Paris, Haut-Brion was ranked among the top four First Growths, the only one outside the Médoc. In 1935, Clarence Dillon, an American financier, purchased the estate, and the Dillon family continues to own and guide it today through Prince Robert of Luxembourg, who serves as CEO of Domaine Clarence Dillon.
Under the Dillon family’s stewardship, Haut-Brion has consistently upheld its legacy while embracing innovation. In 1961, the estate became the first among the First Growths to modernise its vinification facilities, pioneering stainless steel fermentation tanks. More recently, it inaugurated a cutting-edge winery in 2013, designed to vinify each parcel separately for maximum precision.
Region and Vineyards
Château Haut-Brion is located in the commune of Pessac, just five kilometres southwest of central Bordeaux. It lies within the Pessac-Léognan appellation, which was formally established in 1987 and encompasses the northern part of the Graves region. Haut-Brion is uniquely situated within the city’s suburban boundaries, a testament to its historical importance and continuity despite urban expansion.
The vineyard covers approximately 51 hectares for red grapes and 3 hectares for white grapes. The soils are composed of deep gravel terraces on a clay subsoil—an ideal matrix for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. For the whites, the estate grows Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, which thrive on the estate’s cooler, gravelly plots.
The diversity of the terroir is meticulously mapped and parcelled to allow micro-vinification, giving each plot the tailored attention it needs. Vine density is high (up to 10,000 vines per hectare), and vineyard management follows sustainable practices, reflecting both tradition and scientific precision.
Wine Range of Château Haut-Brion
Château Haut-Brion produces two iconic wines:
- Château Haut-Brion Rouge, the flagship Grand Vin, typically a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, is known for its longevity, depth, and complex aromatic profile of earth, tobacco, graphite, and black fruit. It is one of the most age-worthy wines in the world, capable of evolving over decades.
- Château Haut-Brion Blanc is one of Bordeaux’s rarest and most coveted dry white wines, made from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Its richness, minerality, and capacity to age rival the great whites of Burgundy.
The estate also produces Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, its second red wine (formerly named Bahans Haut-Brion), and La Clarté de Haut-Brion, the second white wine shared with La Mission Haut-Brion.
Every wine is crafted with the utmost care, from hand-harvesting, through gravity-fed vinification, to extended ageing in French oak barrels (with a high proportion of new wood). Bottling is conducted without filtration to preserve the wines’ natural texture and complexity.
Did you know?
Château Haut-Brion was the first Bordeaux estate to be described and recognised for its terroir rather than its owner—a revolutionary concept in the 17th century. Its name is derived from a small gravelly hill, or “brion”, referring to the estate’s prized terroir. Today, the estate also serves as the headquarters of Domaine Clarence Dillon, which oversees several other prestigious properties including Château La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Quintus in Saint-Émilion.
