Château Haut-Brion stands apart from its peers in many ways. Some of these differences are historical: it is the only first growth of 1855 that is not located on the Médoc peninsula. Although the area around the city of Bordeaux was the birthplace of winemaking in the region, by the time of the 1855 classification, Haut-Brion was the only château here deemed worthy of the honour.
It is also the oldest of Bordeaux first growths. It is a venerable property indeed – it is thought that vines were cultivated in Roman times, although the first recorded mention of the estate under its present name (as Aubrion or Haulbrion) was in 1521.
