Robert Parker 93 points (Feb 1996)
Blame me for completely misjudging this wine early in its life. I have since purchased it at auction because of its price/quality ratio. Haut-Brion, which can begin life as a soft, light wine, never appeared to have much intensity when tasted beside the phenomenal La Mission-Haut-Brion and La Tour-Haut-Brion. However, over the last 5-7 years that has changed. Either the wine has put on considerable weight, or I was off-form the many times I tasted it when young. The wine has developed the hauntingly complex, tobacco, roasted herb, singed leather, smoky, sweet, fruity nose of a great Haut-Brion. Full-bodied and intense, with noticeable ripe tannin, this is a wine of considerable richness and intensity. It offers delicious drinking after 1-2 hours of decanting, even though noticeable tannin remains. This wine is capable of another 15-20 years of cellaring. Yes, I did indeed underestimate this wine. I tasted it a half-dozen times in 1995 and at each tasting it was a formidable wine. Do not be surprised to see this rating go even higher, as I do not believe the 1975 Haut-Brion has reached its pinnacle. Impressive!
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