Lot 8
‘61 Love Affair

12 – 750ml 1961 Château Haut-Brion, château bottling

The 1961 vintage in Bordeaux consistently ranks in the top of the greatest Bordeaux vintages of the 20th Century, but is one of the only vintages that fully matures, yet seems immune to decline. It is almost as if a magical blessing was bestowed that allowed the vintage’s wines to pick the best of both worlds; retaining the richness and power of a youthful wine, yet acquiring the most desirable characteristics of age - complexities and layers of flavor that both intrigue and beguile.

In 2001, in an article titled “Still Going Strong,” Wine Spectator put this phenomenon in perspective, “with their immense concentration, abundant fruit and tannin, and their potential for longevity, on a 100 pt. scale, the 1961 vintage has garnered an astounding 99 pts.- the highest definitive rating conferred on any Bordeaux to date.”

At the pinnacle of excellence from this legendary vintage stands Haut-Brion. The Château’s cellar book of Haut-Brion records the conditions which made the ‘61 the incredible wine that it is: In May, a late frost killed a significant percentage of buds, thus reducing the number of clusters which would ultimately come to harvest. The summer was slightly hotter than normal, with almost double the number of especially warm days before harvest, yet rainfall was less than half the average. Conditions were right to produce a naturally “extracted” wine long before that term came into popular use.

The 1961 Haut-Brion is still going strong, having been called “pure perfection.” It is an astonishing wine, repeatedly garnering perfect 100-point reviews from every significant critic. It shows the classic tobacco and leather nose (some say reminiscent of a fine Havana cigar), ripe fruits and a subtle finish of orange, raspberries, black currants and dates. Perhaps even more amazing than this wine’s longevity is that this was the debut vintage at Haut-Brion for the then-to-come legendary winemaker, Jean Delmas.

In this era, it was common for even the top Bordelais to sell their production in barrel to negociants, who would then bottle the wines themselves upon returning home. This case is especially rare as it was bottled - not in Belgium, The Netherlands or England - but at the Château itself. It has been perfectly cellared with minimal owners until today’s auction. With supplies of this stellar vintage rapidly dwindling, a case of 1961 Haut-Brion this pristine is indeed a cause for celebration.

DONORS: Jeff Murray and Greg Gregory