I recently purchased my first 1st growth as well- a '95 Haut Brion. I’ve tried a few first growths over the years, but it has almost never been in ideal circumstances: an '03 Margaux at an industry tasting in '07, a '90 Latour at a friends wedding following a few heavy napa cabs, etc.
I’m looking forward to giving this HB the attention it deserves.
Karl,
Remember the old adage that “there are no good wines only good bottles”. As in many things high expectations can lead to big disappointments. I remember taking a bottle of '99 Pavie to a celebration diner with my son. I had bought 4 of them and the first one I drank was amazing. Of course my expectations were high for the celebratory bottle was a disappointment.
Hopefully your experience will be like my first, an amazing bottle.
Good luck, and I hope the bottle shows well!
I do not drink HB often at all given the price point, but the 1998 I tasted last year still haunts me…
It’s a slippery slope, particularly when you drink one in good form from a solid vintage and you say to yourself “so THIS is why these cost so much…”. Like I said, I don’t drink First Growths often at all, but HB is one of my personal favorites - if you can find splits that are well-stored, it can also ease the hit to the wallet and make them a bit more accessible if price is a constraining factor.
I tasted my first first growth back in the late 1970s - it also was an Haut Brion. I was home from college and my parents had friends over (people that I knew well). He opened an Haut Brion and I was thrilled to try it. Hope that you love the wine.
Jeff tends to like very opulent wines and 1986 generally is not his type of vintage. He is more of a 1990 and 2009 type person. So, I would not necessarily be discouraged by his post.
Karl, even if the wine sucks, enjoy it with friends and the experience will still be wonderful. Best of luck with the bottle!
+1 re what K just said…many of my fondest wine experiences have been from wines I shared with friends…ENJOY!!!
Ancient Irish toast:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields
and when we meet again,
please put a glass of Haut Brion in my hand.
This reminds me of myself as well. I do have to say I’ve still never had a bottle of either Haut-Brion or Latour. However, finding the right wine people is all in the first step. It’s awesome that you’re finding your people. That’s worth more than any bottle opened, owned, or sold.
One of the best wine dinners I’ve attended was Ron Kramer’s (RIP) engagement party, where we had a vertical of Haut Brion back to 1964. It’s always been my favorite first growth.
I’m not sure if I’ve had the '86 HB, but last week we drank a bottle of '86 Ch Margaux at Troquet (for the ridiculous price of $150) and it was still a baby. Or maybe a very young adult. Come back in 10 years lol.
don’t know if anyone mentioned it, don’t forget to stand up the bottle to allow sediment to settle
Haven’t had Haut Brion in 1986, but I have had the Lafite and it was still absurdly tightly wound. If you have it soon, make sure you give it plenty of air.
HB is always a pleasure though. My first love is Margaux, but Haut Brion is probably the most reliably excellent of the First Growths.
Thanks for all the feedback folks.
I am looking forward to this.
FWIW I did read Jeff Leve’s 86 Haut Brion report and he does give it a good score - just suggests 10 more years.
Though I agree that he does, from my reading of him, lean to preferring the more opulent style.
The ‘86 haut brion was one of the very first first growths that I purchased back in 1999, and I cellared it until our 18th anniversary in 2016. Pristine bottle, and it completely blew me away…I’ve had my share of hard, angular wines from 1986, but the Haut Brion shocked me. So I think you could be in for a treat!
12/28/2016 rated 99 points: From a pristine bottle. Enticing aromas of ripe dark fruits, tobacco, black truffle and earth. Surprisingly round and velvety, with incredible structure, depth and persistence. This bottle was drinking perfectly, although I believe it has the stuffing to last at least another 15 years. A joy to experience! (2615 views)
At that dinner we had the 1988, which is also an austere vintage… and it was excellent. My guess is that Karl will have a super experience as long as the bottle is sound. Then he’ll be motivated to go buy the 85!
Haut Brion was my first first growth and remains my favorite.
I agree with Howard. Jeff’s got a great palate and he’s a fantastic resource for information, but his preferences do tend towards the opulent and plush.
1986 has a reputation for being too tannic and austere, and many thought the fruit would never outlast the tannins. But after 20-25 years a lot of the wines started showing excellent complexity as the tannins finally began to be less intrusive. They did have enough fruit to make old bones. Not lush or opulent, but classic Bordeaux in the good sense of the term.
As others have noted, at >30 years there’s always the chance that any bottle may be over the hill. If your 1986 Haut Brion has been well stored it has a very good chance of being a great bottle. I hope it is.
My first owned first growth was 1974 Haut Brion, purchased in 1977. A case cost $72 plus tax.
Karl, I hope the bottle shows well for you. What wine shop around here has older vintages besides TW?
Love Haut Brion, it’s my favorite First Growth. Well, there is Petrus. 
Enjoy the ride but don’t build up unrealistic expectations. Many times the FG will be good to great but really not head and shoulders above other classic Classified Growths, say like a Montrose or Lalande. And then other times, they blow everything else away in spades, like the 1989 Haut Brion, the 1982 and 1986 Mouton, and for me in 2000, Lafite.