Chateau Haut Brion - Le Clarence de Chateau Haut Brion 2023

JAMES SUCKLING: "Intensity and focus to this, with length and raciness for the second wine of Haut-Brion, showing polish and a refined texture. It’s medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and an exquisite finish. Caressing. 55.5% merlot, 40.9% cabernet sauvignon and 3.6% cabernet franc."

WEINWISSER: "55.5 % Merlot, 40.9 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.6 % Cabernet Franc. Verspieltes rotbeeriges Bouquet, reife Schattenmorelle, Johannisbeernektar und getrockneter Majoran. Am druckvollen Gaumen mit butterweicher Textur, feinkörniges Extrakt, engmaschiger Körper. Im geradlinigen Finale wiederum mit rotbeerigen Konturen, Tabakblatt und mehliger Adstringenz. Kann noch zulegen."

DECANTER: "Brambly fruit, plummy and lively on the nose. Quite perfumed. Straight and sharp on the palate, this is brilliant in it’s direction and movement, lifted but with a certain weight and density to it, not plush, more grippy and slightly mineral than Chappelle which is more charming right now, but this has great sleek muscles. Stylish and streamlined but it does expand slowly and feels like it has underlying power. Nicely structured, fresh and clean, good level of balancing acidity and a polished finish. Nice stuff. 3.8ph 3.7 total acidity."

VINUM: "Dunkelfruchtig, zeigt Tiefe, rauchige Noten, mineralischer Ausdruck; straff, kompakt, saftig, lang und rotfruchtig, mit herber Note im Abgang."

FALSTAFF: FALSTAFF: Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zarter Hauch von Feigen und Nugat, dunkle Beerenfrucht, frische schwarze Kirschen, kandierte Orangenzesten. Komplex, saftig, frische Kirschen, runde Tannine, frisch strukturiert, salzig und gut anhaftend, ein stoffiger Speisenbegleiter."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Flowers, red with black currants, smoke, cigar wrappers, and Indian spice create the aromatic profile. Medium-bodied, elegant, smoky, and loaded with tobacco, leafy herbs, juicy plums, and cherries, the wine is bright, long, and energetic, with a smoked herb, currant, and cigar oriented finish. This is definitely a baby Haut Brion that will drink well, quite early in life. The wine blends 55.5% Merlot, 40.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3.6% Cabernet Franc. 14.2% ABV, 3.7 pH. Drink 2027-2045."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "With aromas of ripe raspberries, dark wild berries and flowers, the 2023 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a moderately weighted, firm and dense wine on the palate with sweet structuring tannins and a long, vibrant finish. This blend of 55.5% Merlot, 40.9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.6% Cabernet Franc is a great bottle in the making."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 55.5% Merlot, 40.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3.6% Cabernet Franc, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2023 is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a lot of shaking to wake up scents of fresh black and red currants, raspberry leaves, and star anise, leading to touches of mossy tree bark and wet slate. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a firm frame of grainy tannins and well knit freshness to support the spritely fruit, finishing with a savory lift."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Checking in as 55.5% Merlot, 40.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Le Clarence De Haut-Brion has a beautifully polished, medium-bodied, silky style as well as ample red, blue, and black fruits, some violet and floral nuances, classic Pessac smoked earth, fine yet present tannins, and a beautiful finish."