Good-bye Laville Haut Brion

The guys at Haut Brion are sure shuffling things around!

- The second wine of Haut Brion has become "Le Clarence de Haut Brion," a name not everyone finds particularly melodious...
Bahans Haut Brion will disappear.
- The grand cru classé La Tour Haut Brion was simply eliminated. The Château said that the wine was "blended with La Chappelle de La Mission Haut Brion," but I would not be surprised if it simply became "La Mission Haut Brion". I regret this change.

The most recent news is that starting with the 2009 vintage, Laville Haut Brion will cease to exist. It will be called "La Mision Haut Brion Blanc".

The article in this morning's newspaper says "La Clarté de Haut Brion devient le second vin blanc de la Mission Haut Brion comme de Château Haut Brion". This left me in some doubt as to whether the "Clarté" encompasses the second wine of *both* Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion, or if there will be a "Clareté de Haut Brion" (replacing "Les Plantiers de Haut Brion") and a "Clareté de La Mission Haut Brion"...
I'll find out soon enough.

I'm not sure I understand the point of all this, but it sure helps to know that there will shortly be some "new" wines out there.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[David M. Bueker]

I wonder if they have tested the names in the Asian markets...

David,

Good point.
From time to time, we are requested to do research on brands in several languages.
This can avoid some rather unfortunate consequences

http://listverse.com/2007/10/27/top-10- ... uct-names/

http://www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/09/ ... armed.html

http://my.opera.com/kitkreuger/blog/200 ... -marketing

etc., etc.

Alex R.

On my trip to Bordeaux last year we were in a bar after dinner in St.-Emilion and the bartender passed a bottle of 1966 Laville Haut Brion to a group in the back. There was some discussion as to what it could have been, and upon asking, we were presented with the almost empty bottle of 1966 Laville Haut Brion. It tasted like it was no more than 4-5 years old. I will never forget that experience. I'm sure the bottle never left its "cradle", but it was exciting to see such a treasure. It was not always a part of Haut Brion, so change is nothing new, maybe the "Laville" was too obscure?