Wine Basics
Wine Investing
Apr 24, 2025
Producer Spotlight: Château Haut-Brion
Investing in Château Haut-Brion
Overview
Walk through the gates of Château Haut-Brion, and you're stepping into history. This isn’t just any Bordeaux Château, it's the oldest and a true legend, with a story stretching back to 1525. It holds a unique spot as the only First Growth from outside the Médoc, with a distinctive terroir in Pessac-Léognan that gives its grapes a character you simply can't find anywhere else.
Haut-Brion’s fame isn't new. People have been raving about this wine for centuries; it was famously noted in Samuel Pepys' diary in 1663 following a visit to the Royal Oak Tavern:
"There I drank a sort of French wine called Ho-Bryan (sic) which hath a good and most particular taste which I never before encountered....."
During his tenure as the first ambassador to France, even future American president Thomas Jefferson was a huge fan, calling it "the very best Bordeaux wine."
Today, the Dillon family continues to honor that tradition, meticulously tending to every detail with a beautiful blend of old-school craftsmanship and modern techniques. The result is a red wine celebrated for its incredible elegance and complexity. And let's not forget the white wine, Haut-Brion Blanc—it's so exceptional it has become one of the most sought-after dry whites on the planet. Drinking Haut-Brion is history, elegance, and pure artistry all in one glass.
Quick Facts
Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
Region | Pessac-Léognan appellation, Bordeaux, France. |
Grape Varieties | Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and a small amount of Petit Verdot. |
First Vintage | 1521, documented winemaking since 16th century |
Notable Vintages | 1945, 1953, 1961, 1989, 2015, 2016, 2020 |
Average Critic Score | 95.9 |
Current Market Liquidity | Global Liquidity: Very Liquid |
Drinking Window | Peak drinking window generally spans 15–40 years |
Chateau Haut-Brion Label Index Tracker
Analyst Note - From Matthew Small (Head of Investment)
Chateau Haut-Brion boasts the highest average critic score among all First Growths, underscoring its reputation for quality and prestige. Its strong liquidity and label regional Beta of 0.95 make it a nearly perfect tracker of the Liv-Ex Bordeaux indices, providing reliable market performance and stability for investors. However, from a returns standpoint, Haut-Brion—like much of Bordeaux—has delivered lacklustre growth over the past decade, with a 10-year producer CAGR of just 1.7%. This makes it best suited for those prioritising portfolio liquidity and regional index tracking over capital appreciation.
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Introduction
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