Château Haut-Marbuzet: Tasting & Drinking
Read the works of a number of commentators on Bordeaux and it soon becomes clear that some held the wines of Château Haut-Marbuzet, as shaped by Hervé and then Henri Duboscq, in the highest regard. Notable among them was the late Clive Coates (1941 – 2022) who once ranked the property third in the commune, behind only Château Montrose and Château Cos d’Estournel. Looking at the location of the vineyards, this is not an unbelievable position for this estate. In addition, friends I made early in my wine drinking life, and who had been drinking the wines of Bordeaux far longer than I had, also thought very highly of the wines. There were also indications that the Duboscq family also had a supreme confidence in the quality and standing of their wine, as evinced by the prices set in some vintages.
Admittedly, some of these opinions, and the prices too, might have reflected the admiration held by Robert Parker for the wines. People – both drinkers and proprietors – willingly followed Parker’s scores and tastes.
Perhaps a little more objective than personal opinions was the positioning of Château Haut-Marbuzet in a reworking of the 1855 classification which I caught sight of a few years ago, published in 2009. Château Haut-Marbuzet was ranked as a fourth growth, the highest placing for any château not in the original classification (apart from the châteaux of Pessac-Léognan of course, which apart from Château Haut-Brion were never included in 1855). In fact, apart from Château Sociando-Mallet, another well-deserved ranking, it was the only peninsular château to make a new entry in this fashion.
Hervé Duboscq was a determined character, one who flew in the face of all around him, and he was not afraid to ruffle a few aristocratic feathers in the process. Henri Duboscq continued the marketing offensive; over the past few decades the wine has been listed by any number of top restaurant, hotels and airlines. All the while, however, the attention to detail and quality has remained high. The wine has had a reputation for its oaky flavour profile, of course, and therefore not to everybody’s taste, but the quality has always been there. That much should be evident to any critic of the region.
In recent years I have grown increasingly enamoured of the wines, although I would say I have always enjoyed them. Watch out for the top vintages such as 2023, 2022, 2020 and 2019 among recent years.
This is yet another estate, like Château Ormes de Pez, Château Phelan-Ségur and even Château de Pez which outclasses the lower rungs of the classified growths in this commune. And, unlike so many other properties, there is nothing to stop you calling in here to pick up a few cases at the best price. I can guarantee you won’t be alone in the tasting room if you do. (20/9/07, updated 3/4/13, 9/1/26)
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