La Clarte de Haut Brion Blanc

La Clarté de Haut-Brion boasts a legendary and unique kinship: made from grapes grown on the Haut-Brion terroir, it is born of two prestigious estates: Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion.

Winemaker notes

Crystal-clear pale-yellow colour with green hues. The bouquet reveals incredible concentration with hints of ripe fruit enhanced by subtle, spicy overtones. Swirling in the glass enhances the white fruit aromas and reveals beautiful notes of aniseed. Starts out rich and broad-based on the palate, showcasing Sémillon in all its splendour! The wine then becomes smooth, exploding into a sappy, tight-knit and fruity finish with an impressively long aftertaste.

2017

Wine Advocate 93: Composed of 30.6% Sauvignon Blanc and 69.4% Sémillon, the 2017 La Clarté de Haut-Brion comes roaring out of the glass with bold notes of fresh apricots, pineapple and lime cordial plus hints of chalk dust, straw and coriander seed with a touch of honeysuckle. Medium-bodied, the palate has electric intensity with bags of stone and tropical fruit layers and a wicked backbone of freshness, finishing long and zesty.

James Suckling 92: Dense and layered with dried-citrus and lanolin aromas and flavors. Some lemon-grass undertones as well. Full body. Attractive texture and length. A little oily. Better after 2021.

2019

Wine Advocate 91: With aromas of confit citrus fruit, peaches, grapefruit and pastry cream, the 2019 La Clarté de Haut-Brion is full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a satiny attack that segues into an ample core of fruit underpinned by lively acids and chalky structure. A combined second wine for both Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, this has turned out nicely in bottle, delivering a wine that's richer and headier in style than its 2018 predecessor.

James Suckling 94: Gorgeous aromas of mango, pineapple, lime and dusty stone follow through to a medium-bodied palate with a creamy, ultra-fine texture. Flavorful and beautiful. Wonderful length. Extremely racy and fine in the mouth. Drink after 2025.

2023

Wine Advocate 90-92: Aromas of smoke, white fruits and ripe orchard fruits preface the 2023 La Clarté de Haut-Brion blanc, a medium-bodied, round and supple wine that is fruity and elegant on the finish. This is a blend of 56.3% Sauvignon Blanc and 43.7% Sémillon.

James Suckling 93-94: A tight and focused second wine of La Mission and Haut Brion with a classy texture and beautiful length and focus. Medium body, fresh acidity and a crunchy finish. 56.3% sauvignon blanc and 43.7% semillon.