Haut-Brion

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-21/how-prince-robert-of-luxembourg-is-building-an-empire-in-bordeaux

The Wikipedia article on Clarence “Dillon” Lapowski is rather fascinating - these people were New World Order jet-setters before there was a “New World Order”.

Or “jets”, for that matter.

Clarence Dillon - Wikipedia

Thanks for the links!

Love love these two Chateaux. Which I cannot afford, of course. But, in the rare event when I get to enjoy them, they are “wow” wines, well, except for the 2005 last year that was corked.

I am lucky enough to still have bunches of the 1989, 1990, and 2005 vintages of these two estates.
They too are my favorite Bordeaux.

That is lucky indeed. I can only afford the off vintages. Just got three 2001 for ~ $300 each.

My saddest non-purchase was a 6/pack of 89 HB offered in the early 00 at $450/btl. Displaying my usual saavy I refrained!

2014 Haut Brion is $300 and 2014 La Mish is $175. I’ve been thinking.

I own 2 bottles of Haut Brion at the moment, both 1998, both bought for $139, which at the time was by far the most I had ever spent on a bottle. It seems unlikely I will own any more unless I can find some dissed older vintages at bargain prices.

I will however help Robert drink his 2014s when they are ready (assuming I am on the side of the dirt and am ambulatory)

The creation of ‘Quintus’ led to supplies of the St Emilion’s – Tertre Daugay and l’Arrosee – being blown out at fair prices in the US. (we had a whole thread on that over on the bwe board). So I am grateful to our green jacketed Prince for that as well as a very nice 98 Bahans over the weekend, our last one.

Although the Prince says they can’t expand the vineyards, I’d observe that they did take La Tour Haut Brion and fold its production into LMHB.

I love the vertical integration of the new restaurant. 5000+ euros for LMHB 1989; extremely profitable; and yet the provenance is ideal, so there will be plenty of takers.

You cannot merge Classified vineyards in St, Emilion without permission of the INAO. You do not need permission to ask in Pessac Leognan. One has nothing to do with the other.

The article suggests that Prince Robert has some business acumen, and understands how to use assets in a way that is more profitable. Perhaps planting vineyards would take too much time to get in production. But getting rid of the LTHB estate brand, and folding its grapes into wine he could sell for more is the point.

It is also why he decided to bid for Les Carmes Haut Brion, and why he was prepared to pay far more than the property itself was worth. He was outbid eventually, but he was fully aware that there were parts of the vineyard which could be incorporated into Haut Brion itself, and the arithmetic was based on the greater revenue he could get for the those parcels.

He is a good businessman, although I remember a conversation several years ago, where he said Haut Brion was not a brand, and seemed offended by the suggestion. I think that has changed.

I tasted the 1990 Château Haut-Brion once (~2003?), and I managed to get a bottle of the Bahans Haut-Brion 2003 for my brother when it was <$50/btl.

I noticed that the Bahans Haut-Brion is now “Le Clarence Haut-Brion” @ ~$130/btl.

Whoa!

Ah ha. That explains some of the changes going on at C-H-B. I’m glad I got to enjoy it for so many years.

I don’t think luck has anything to do with it.

Just profligate spending

No kidding. The 1986, 1989, and 1990 vintages cost me between $60 and $90 per bottle.
LMHB 2005 cost a whopping $250 each.
Translate that into roast pork buns.

1990 LMHB and HB are today as good as the 1989 but way cheaper IMO. I love both Chateaux but the prices nowadays are way too high so the days are gone for me to buy and drink these wines. I am now happy with Domaine de Chevalier.

Having tasted the 1989 and 1990 La Missions and Haut Brions, la Mission came off clearly ahead in both vintages, with the Haut Brion 1989 very backward but with the potential to be on par with the La Mission 1989, which I scored 100 points.

I went with a friend to restaurant Clarence where the director and sommelier is the delicious Antoine Pétrus, a very nice person whom I appreciate.
My plan was to drink a Haut-Brion.

When I saw the wine list, I immediately changed my plan with despair : I see no justification to pay a bottle of HB at 3 or 4 times the price of the bottles which I have.

I ordered a Champagne Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru V.P. vieillissement prolongé Extra Brut with 82 months of barrel, sad not to be able to drink HB in such a lovely place.

And when I saw the tables around me, I saw that people ordered Clarence by the glass. The fact to come to such a great restaurant to order the second or third wine and by the glass does not correspond to my vision of excellence.