Le Clarence de Haut Brion, Pessac Léognan
    Château Haut-Brion

    Le Clarence de Haut Brion, Pessac Léognan, 2010

    93/100
    Robert Parker Wine Advocate
    89/100
    Vinous
    Available Vintages
    Justerini & Brooks Tasting note

    Quite expressive initially with lots of sweet berries, sandalwood and tobacco. The mid-palate is more mineral and stony (than Chapelle) - quite a different profile - this is less charming, more salty and serious, framed by grippy tannins. A serious Clarence, literally a chip off the old block - will require patience. The product of 55.5% Merlot, 40.9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.6% Cabernet Franc.

    delivery information
    GUARANTEED PROVENANCE

    Critic Reviews

    89/100
    Stephen Tanzer,
    Vinous
    Good deep red-ruby. Herbal blackberry, licorice and gunflint on the nose. Slightly medicinal flavors of dark fruits and licorice show moderate fruit intensity but complex mineral, graphite and cedar elements. The moderately sweet, ripe finish is kept fresh by firm, ripe tannins and juicy acidity. Seems sweeter and sappier than when I tasted it at the Primeurs a couple years ago, but it's still one of the more austere Clarence de Haut-Brions in some time.
    date of review 07/2013
    93/100
    Robert Parker,
    Robert Parker Wine Advocate
    The second wine of Haut-Brion is now called Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, and the 2010 is among the finest I have tasted there. It is a broad, powerful and more muscular wine than its cross-street rival, La Chapelle de la Mission, but all the same, it is wonderfully fresh and precise, with notes of blueberry and boysenberry as well as hints of smoke and wet stones. Endowed with gorgeous fruit, texture, purity and elegance, this relatively dense second wine demonstrates how draconian the selection process has become for the top estates in Bordeaux in recent years. The blend of this wine is 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Cabernet Franc with just a touch of Petit Verdot. I would expect it to last at least 20 years, which is remarkable. Kudos to the team at Haut-Brion and to the proprietors, the Dillon family, who are now represented admirably and meticulously by Prince Robert of Luxembourg. He has made some changes, and all of them seem to have resulted in dramatic improvements to what was already an astonishing group of wines.
    drinking window 2013 - 2033
    date of review 02/2013

    product details

    Specifications

    Country:
    France
    Region:
    Bordeaux
    Appellation:
    Pessac Léognan
    style:
    Red Wine
    Grape Variety:
    Cab Sauvignon Merlot
    abv:
    13%

    allergen information

    This product may contain sulphites. Full allergen information is available upon request, please call our Customer Relations Team on +44 (0)20 7484 6430.