The 1996 Château Haut-Brion is an elegant and complex wine with aromas of tobacco, sweet currants, loamy soil, cedar, and camphor. It’s medium to full-bodied, with a deep fruit core, sweet tannins, and a long finish. Despite being overshadowed by the Médoc in this vintage, it has evolved beautifully. The wine's supple structure and subtle greenness on the finish make it distinct from the tannic 1995, and it will continue to improve over time.

The Wine Advocate | RP 96
Published: Dec 21, 2023
Drink: 2023-2046

While it's the Médoc that tends to steal the limelight in this vintage, the 1996 Haut-Brion, the fruit of a strict selection, is a brilliant wine and comparatively underestimated today. Wafting from the glass with aromas of tobacco leaf, sweet currant fruit, loamy soil, cedar box and camphor, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and intense, with a deep core of fruit, sweet tannins and a long, sapid finish.

JamesSuckling.com | JS 91
Published: Jan 19, 2011

Impressive nose of sweet tobacco with hints of prunes and black cherries. The palate is velvety, but it’s a little dull on the finish. Opens a little as the wine is in the glass. Served from imperial bottle.

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 17.5
Published: Jan 14, 2023
Drink: 2015-2040

Served alongside Guigal La Landonne 1996, whose directness and glossy appeal rather put the softness and diffuseness of this wine in the shade. I'm sure it would have shone if served solo or next to a more minor red bordeaux. Light saltiness on the finish. 

Haut-brion.com

Elegant and complex, the red wine of Château Haut-Brion is very mineral and of a rare complexity, it is distinguished by an astonishing length, this aromatic persistence being the privilege of very great origins.

Tasting note
The 1996 is a wine of contrast that is difficult to define. Acidic grapes but a supple wine. High sugar content but phenolic maturity varies greatly depending on the grape variety. Overall, the Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon seem to have performed better than the Merlot. The quality level of this vintage is close to that of the previous year while remaining different in the structure of the wine.
We do not find the tannic firmness of the 1995 but perhaps more suppleness in the tannins or we perceive a very slight greenness on the finish.
The wines are ample, with a beautiful structure, good harmony and should make a very good bottle. Very good wine overall.

The weather
What most characterizes the climate of 1996 is its great regularity. There was no very long hot period except for a few days in July, and the rains came late in August. The weather was good in the first half of September, and there was a lot of rain in the second half. In summary, it was an average summer with a few nice periods.