1997 Château Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (3/30/2023)
Part of a larger tasting with a lot of really good wines, this clearly stood out, especially considering the low expectations from the vintage. Opened about two hours before we tried it, the aromatics were all about earthiness, aged tobacco and dusty, almost dried fruit. I really didn't need to drink it, as it smelled so wonderful I was happy to just take another sniff every minute or so. The aromatics alone were enough. That said it tasted very good as well, even if it was lighter in body than normal for a first growth. It also went through a couple of twits and turns, where it was richer for a few minutes, then got lighter, and then filled out again. Not a lot of structure left, so I think this was about as good a time as any to have opened it, and everyone around the table enjoyed, so job well done Haut-Brion!