2010 Le Clarence de Château Haut-Brion

Description

94   Neal Martin
“Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. I enjoyed this wine from barrel and just after bottling. Under blind conditions it really shows its quality. It has a very attractive bouquet with notes of blackberry, cigar box, raspberry leaf and a touch of sandalwood – quite complex and nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity. There is real density here, caressing in the mouth but full of vigour and breeding. Long and tender towards the finish, this is a lovely wine.” (03/2014)

93   Robert Parker for 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.” (2/2013)

93   James Molesworth for Wine Spectator
“Intense, with a bold, roasted apple wood note out front and anise-infused plum and blackberry fruit surrounding the core. Lots of bramble, tar and warm stone accents course through the finish. Displays impressive range and grip.” (3/2013)