The winemaker behind some of the world’s finest wines sits down to talk to Hong Kong Tatler about his favorite vintages, legacy and hopes for Château Haut Brion’s future.
By Jessica Cheng, Hong Kong Tatler
Jean Philippe Delmas never set out to be a winemaker. His intentions were to become a pilot for the French army. When his dream was refused, he turned to what he believed was always in his blood. With both his father and grandfather leaving behind a legacy of great winemaking, Delmas was almost destined to take over his father’s reign at Château Haut Brion.Acquired by the Dillon family in 1935, the estate and its other recently acquired vineyards have produced some of the world’s finest wines. With exceptional varietals and perfected blends, Haut Brion vintages are met with praise each year. We had the opportunity to sit down with Delmas to discuss what it takes to create the perfect wine and what his favourite part of the winemaking process really is.Hong Kong Tatler: What do you think differentiates Château Haut Brion from other wineries and other wines?Jean Philippe Delmas: Haut Brion is different on many levels. First of all, regions make a difference, whether you reign from Margaux or Pauillac, you have completely different wines, grapes and climates. Beyond the region and the different expressions from the grape, you can even have different styles of wine. Within Pauillac itself you have Lafite, Latour and Mouton wines, which are all three very different styles of cabernet sauvignon. But for Haut Brion, we are special because when we create our blends, the percentage of our varietal always changes. One year it could be 70 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 30 per cent merlot, and the next year it could be the complete opposite. For many amateurs, Haut Brion is very difficult to classify. It is not a cabernet sauvignon, it is not a merlot; it is Haut Brion. It is very special.HKT: How would you describe the 2012 Haut Brion vintage?JPD: The vintage that is out this year is less concentrated than 2009 and 2010, which were both amazing years. The 2012 vintage contains tannins that are soft, round and approachable. Many mistake the wine for being weak because of this, but it is most definitely not. The 2012 vintage is already drinkable and has a lot of charm. People may think that because it’s young, there isn’t any potential for the future, but they are wrong.
HKT: What in particular about the winemaking process creates wines as good as the Haut Brion wine?JPD: The human side of things is definitely very important. I’m lucky enough that I’m given all the means to do my job, but this means that I also have no excuse and there is a lot of pressure to make great wines. To make great wine, you need a lot of knowledge. Because I’m the third generation of winemakers after my grandfather and father, perhaps the history and the knowledge passed down from each generation makes the Haut Brion wines better.HKT: What advice about the winemaking process did your father pass down to you?JPD: The key that my father taught me is to test quality of everything by taste. We taste the grapes during harvest to make sure they are ripe and right for picking. During the blending process, we always taste to ensure quality as well. Blending is like being an artist and when you create a blend that tastes good for you, you hope that it will be just as good for others.
HKT: What is the most enjoyable part of the process for you?JPD: The time of year that I love best is from around August to mid-December. It’s during the harvest and blending process that you have to make many decisions that are definite and cannot be reversed. It’s the time of year for us where there are a lot of tough decisions, a lot of pressure and a lot of energy.HKT: What do you think the future holds for Haut Brion?JPD: When I first started with Haut Brion, our wines were only available at wine merchants in seven countries. But now for our more recent vintages, we have wine merchants in over 50 countries supplying our wines. We have to be everywhere now, you can’t afford not to be, so we have plans for more expansion in the future for all of our estates and ventures, including Clarence Dillon Wines, Clarendell, Château Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion.
