2010 Chateau Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan 750 ml

The Parker Treatment in Bordeaux: “What’s a partner to do???”

Honestly, we had no idea how much noise WineAccess had made until we received the call. Last week, the Président-Directeur Général of the largest trading company in Bordeaux reached out to invite us to the April en primeur tasting of the much-ballyhooed 2015s. We were flattered, but as we’ve been attending the spring barrel-tastings for 20 years and had already booked plane tickets and hotel rooms, practically speaking, we saw nothing special about the invitation.

Then came the surprise. In the past, we’ve always tasted with dozens of other professionals in the same room. Often, the First Growths and some of the Super Seconds were omitted. On April 12th, we were told, we would get “the Parker treatment.” A private room would be reserved ONLY for WineAccess. 110 bottles would be uncorked. Among the First Growths, only Château Latour (which now refuses to presell new vintages) would not be presented. We would taste at our leisure over the course of two days.

But, as is often the case on the Place de Bordeaux, the offer came with a caveat. Since January 27th, 2015, when we first entered the vintage Bordeaux market, 5,300 members have purchased bottles for over $100/bottle. Half of those have bought Parker 100-pointers for over $275/bottle. Still, despite a record-breaking sales performance that has every trader on the Place de Bordeaux beating down our door, we’ve never offered our membership a 100-point First Growth Bordeaux.

If we agreed to do so today, the private room — and over $40,000 of 2015 Bordeaux — would be ours on April 12th and 13th. What’s a partner to do???

In the historic 2010 vintage — to which the 2015 is already being compared — three First Growths Bordeaux were deemed to be “perfect” by Robert Parker. If Château Latour produced the most powerful wine of the year, and Lafite-Rothschild the most polished, by most accounts the award for the most complex and long-living 2010 belonged to the Dillon family’s Château Haut-Brion. We’ve tasted the 2010 Haut-Brion on six occasions. Along with the 1945 Clos de Lambray, 1961 Latour à Pomerol, 1978 Romanée-Conti, and 2011 Château d’Yquem, this is one of the five greatest wines of our lives.

Parker wrote, “From its dense purple color to its incredibly subtle but striking aromatics that build incrementally, offering up a spectacular smorgasbord of aromas ranging from charcoal and camphor to black currant and blueberry liqueur and spring flowers, this wine’s finesse, elegant yet noble power and authority come through in a compelling fashion.” Then he posted the 100-point score that sent prices soaring.

48 bottles have been earmarked for WineAccess at a razor-sharp $999/bottle — each bottle drawn directly from the Haut-Brion cellar in Pessac-Léognan. Offered only to 1,345 buyers (like you) who have purchased Parker 100-pointers over the last 12 months. Shipping included on all orders.