In the cellar of Haut Marbuzet with, the famous slogan of Henri Duboscq is printed on the wall - "Quality is true me."
Haut Marbuzet enjoys a highly favorable location close to Gironde river.
This property can be traced to 1815 when the family Mac Carthy and Jacobins from Irland were the owners. Because of problems in passing the vineyard to the next generation, they were forced to sell it in pieces in 1854. In this way, the Poissonnier family got 9 ha in their hands. This vineyard plot was later named Haut Marbuzet. Approximately 100 years later, in 1952, Herve Duboscq purchased several vineyard plots, in all 7 ha. His dream was to recreate the original vineyard from Mac Carthy's time of ownership. Ten years later, his son, Henri Duboscq, joined him, and in 2005, the vineyard reached 66 ha through the purchase of additional plots from neighboring vineyards over the years. Today (2019), the vineyard area is 75 ha.
Haut Marbuzet is situated on the same hills as Montrose and Meyney, overlooking Gironde River. The vineyard is planted with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The soil here is typical of the commune - gravel of the bed of clay and limestones. Vines are, on average, 30 years old. The wine matures in 100% new oak for 15 months.
I remember visiting this property regularly in the 1990s when they had a young English woman Rachel, a pretty and charismatic daughter of some high profile wine-merchant in London, doing her wine training and customer care at Haut Marbuzet. Her looks and excellent wine quality attracted many people to Haut Marbuzet!
Henri Duboscq, the owner, has always compared his wines to beautiful women like f.i. Sophia Loren, Marylin Monroe, and Julia Roberts. In his words, his wine should be captivating and sexy, have flesh, and be packed in silk. A wine of this quality can't be resisted, can it?!
I remember him also saying a famous quote with a twinkle in his eyes - "Haut Marbuzet is Henri Duboscq in the first two years (smiling and charming), then the next 15 years it's Saint-Estephe with no rough edges!"
Not surprisingly, the style here is catchy, attractive, and fruity wines with a great deal of elegance and finesse, intensity, and length. Exquisite and sensual wines. Not so concentrated and firm as Meyney and Phelan Segur, but more delicate and elegant.
Haut Marbuzet is a great qpr for money, and its quality equals several classified Crus'.
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2022 HAUT MARBUZET (barrel sample) 95p
Tasted in April 2022. 50% Merlot, 45% C. Sauvignon, 3% P. Verdot and 2% C. Franc. 13.5% alcohol. One of Bordeaux's sexiest wines! This property often delivers a sensual, seductive, subtle, and delicate wine. 2022 fits the description perfectly!
2018 HAUT MARBUZET (barrel sample) 93-94p
Tasted in April 2019. 13.5% alcohol, 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Very seductive, sexy, fruity, well-defined wine with elegance and finesse. Very impressive indeed, and the best vintage for the property in the last 25 years.
2017 HAUT MARBUZET (barrel sample) 91p
Tasted in October 2018. 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Silky texture, velvety fruit, and tannin, aromatic, with pleasing composition and length. Fascinating stuff.
2016 HAUT MARBUZET 93p
Tasted in October 2018. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Seamless structure, intense aroma of perfectly ripe blackberries/black cherries and violets, sophisticated touch, and great complexity. Impressive effort.
2015 HAUT MARBUZET 92p
Tasted in October 2018. 50% CS, 40% M, 5% CF, and 5% PV. Only 13.5% alcohol here, succulently sweet, well-balanced, and with great finesse. Lovely wine, indeed!
2010 HAUT MARBUZET (barrel sample) 91-92p
Tasted in April 2011. It showed brilliantly with aromatic intensity, chocolaty flavors, ripe berries, refined concentration, depth, and finish.
1990 HAUT MARBUZET 93p
Tasted many times since release - last time in October 2014. Consistent notes! This wine has been a pure delight since I first tasted it. Twenty-four years after its birth, it still catches attention. Delicious nose of sweet blackcurrants, beautiful and captivating on the nose and palate, exquisite balance, velvety texture, and firm, fruity finish. On its apogee now but will easily keep on like that until 2024.
1989 HAUT MARBUZET 90p
Tasted in June 1990. Dark red, exotic on the nose, intense, catchy fruit sweetness, tasty with exotic fruit, long silky finish. Entertaining wine, for sure!
1985 HAUT MARBUZET 92p
Tasted in June 1990. Rich and exotic, elegant with finesse. Superb balance, catchy sweetness. An authentic heartbreaker wine!
1982 HAUT MARBUZET 90p
Tasted in June 1990. Lovely and catchy wine immediately draws your attention with perfectly ripe fruit, striking sweetness, and silky texture. Sexy wine, by all means!