Presentation
The Clarence de Haut-Brion, second wine of Château Haut-Brion, Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855, comes from the same vines as this one. It was named as such, starting from the 2007 vintage, to honor Clarence Dillon, purchaser of Château Haut-Brion in 1935.
Terroir
The vineyard covers 51 hectares, 48 of which are planted with red grape varieties. The terroir of Haut-Brion, formed by two important ridges of Gunzian gravel - the Gunz being a glacial period of the Quaternary era - rises 12 to 15 meters above the bottoms of the neighboring waterways. These gravels are small stones, made up of different varieties of quartz: true gems of the terroir of Château Haut-Brion. The Peugue stream to the north and the Serpent stream to the south delineate this vast gravelly terrace, named Haut Brion, which can be found on old maps of the region or in notarial deeds, from the early 15th century. The subsoil is clay-sandy in nature.
Winemaking
Alcoholic fermentation starts spontaneously, thanks to the natural yeasts in the vineyard. Extraction is achieved through pumping over for about two weeks.
Ageing
It ages in new barrels in part, in barrels of a wine (already used for the Grand Vin of the previous year) for the rest. The duration of aging in oak barrels is 18 to 22 months with 17% new wood.
Varietals
Merlot : 66,50%
Cabernet-sauvignon : 28,30%
Cabernet franc : 5,20%
Specifications
Production volume : 36000
Age of vines : 37 years old
Aging in barrels : 1 month
Ageing potential
10-15 ans
Tasting
The wine's robe is a dense, almost purple red. The wine offers us a first, sweet and pleasant nose of ripe black fruits, with a touch of mentholated freshness. From the first sip, intense aromas of blackberry, chocolate, and a very salivating salinity reveal themselves. The wine unfolds, full-bodied, gaining power with a superbly velvety mouthfeel. The tannins are present and carry the wine with great refinement. 2025 is a superb vintage, already reflected in wines of immense potential, yet enjoyable in their youth: a hallmark of great vintages.
Reviews
James Suckling
Vinous