Bordeaux En Primeur 2025, Day 1

The campaign opened with a private tasting of Château Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion, a reminder that even in unfinished form, these wines already carry a sense of architectural precision. Barrel samples at this level are less about immediate pleasure and more about reading structure, proportion, and the direction the vintage is likely to take over time.

From there, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCBwines) tasting at Hangar 14 offered a broad first look across the region. The 2025s showed a consistent thread of concentration and definition across appellations, from Saint Émilion and Pomerol to Pauillac, Saint Julien, Margaux, Saint Estèphe, Pessac Léognan, Graves, and Sauternes. It is still early, but the vintage appears to lean toward precision and tension, with acidity playing a central role in shaping the wines.

The day concluded at Château Branaire-Ducru with a nice cocktail. Among the highlights was a 1996 Branaire Ducru served from a 6 liter Imperial.

Château La Mission Haut-Brion Château Haut-Brion