In the cellar of Haut Marbuzet, the famous Henri Duboscq slogan is printed on the wall: "Quality is my truth."
Haut Marbuzet enjoys a highly favorable location close to Gironde river.
Henri Duboscq, the owner of Haut Marbuzet, in October 2025
This property dates back to 1815, when the MacCarthy and Jacobins from Ireland were the owners. Due to issues in passing the vineyard to the next generation, they were compelled to sell it in pieces in 1854. In this way, the Poissonnier family acquired 9 ha. This vineyard plot was later named Haut-Marbuzet. Approximately 100 years later, in 1952, Hervé Duboscq purchased several vineyard plots, totaling 7 hectares. His dream was to recreate the original vineyard as it was during McCarthy's ownership. Ten years later, his son, Henri Duboscq, joined him, and in 2005, the vineyard expanded to 66 hectares through the purchase of additional plots from neighboring vineyards. As of today (2019), the vineyard area is 75 hectares.
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 in this area is typical of the commune, comprising gravel, clay, and limestone. 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 Englishwoman, Rachel, a pretty, charismatic daughter of a high-profile wine merchant in London, doing her wine training and customer service 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, for instance. Sophia Loren, Marilyn 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 also recall him 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 characterized by wines that are catchy, attractive, and fruity, exhibiting a great deal of elegance and finesse, as well as intensity and length. Exquisite and sensual wines. Barely so concentrated and firm as Meyney and Phelan Segur, but more delicate and elegant.
Haut Marbuzet is an excellent value for money, and its quality equals that of several classified Crus.
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Vertical of Haut Marbuzet from 2018 to 2024 in October 2025.
2024 HAUT MARBUZET (barrel sample) 92p
Tasted in October 2025. I have found it better than expected. Despite the weather caprices during the growing season, the result is a wine with a fresh attitude, pretty good density, ripe fruit (spicy raspberries), sappiness, silky tannins, and discreet acidity. It has a persistent finish that leaves you happy.
2023 HAUT MARBUZET 95+p
Tasted in October 2025. It possesses a beautifully fragrant aroma of black cherries that captivates you from the start. On the palate, it displays silky dark berries and velvety tannins, supported by excellent acidity. There is great complexity, finesse, structure, crystalline texture, and a superb midpalate. The finish is sublimely long, leaving you feeling extremely satisfied with the wine. As sensual as the 2022 version.
2022 HAUT MARBUZET 95p
Tasted twice - last time in October 2025. Consistent notes. 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% alcohol. This is one of Bordeaux's sexiest wines! This property consistently produces sensual, seductive, subtle, and delicate wines, and the 2022 vintage is no exception.
2021 HAUT MARBUZET 91p
Tasted in October 2025. It displays a fragrant nose of morello cherries, a juicy, well-knit palate with nice structure and length, and a lingering finish. This vintage’s weather challenges prevented the winemaker from producing more than a respectable wine.
2020 HAUT MARBUZET 95-96p
Tasted in October 2025. This is a pure seduction! Creamy and lush black cherries and blueberries taking a bath in milk chocolate and cocoa powder, seamless structure, excellent midpalate, silky berries, velvety tannins that hide effortlessly behind walls of fruit, and discreet acidity. This is a heavenly delight!
2019 HAUT MARBUZET 95p
Tasted in October 2025. This wine has a captivating nose of black cherries and raspberries, wrapped in dark chocolate and truffle notes. On the palate, it displays great complexity, a sophisticated touch, finesse, and crystalline tannins that embrace silky berries. The texture is like liquid cashmere! You can’t resist such a wine, can you?!
2018 HAUT MARBUZET 94p
Tasted three times - last time in October 2025. Consistent notes. 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% alcohol. This property has always had a different style compared to its peers in Saint-Estèphe. More lush, more upfront fruit, and more elegance. Catchy aromas of roasted coffee beans and cherries, silky fruit, and tannin, with a complex and well-defined palate that exhibits a lot of grace and finesse. A very seductive effort.
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% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. 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 a long 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 in the early 1990s. Twenty-four years after its birth, it continued to capture attention. Delicious nose of sweet blackcurrants, beautiful and captivating on the nose and palate, exquisite balance, velvety texture, and firm, fruity finish. It's at its apogee now, but will easily remain there until 2024.
1989 HAUT MARBUZET 90p
Tasted in June 1990. Dark red, exotic on the nose, intense and catchy, with a fruity sweetness that is both tasty and exotic, leading to a long, silky finish. Entertaining wine, for sure!
1985 HAUT MARBUZET 92p
Tasted in June 1990. Rich and exotic wine, elegant with finesse. Superb balance, catchy sweetness. An authentic heartbreaker wine!
1982 HAUT MARBUZET 90p
Tasted in June 1990. Lovely and catchy, this wine immediately draws your attention with perfectly ripe fruit, striking sweetness, and a silky texture. Sexy wine, by all means!