France

Ch. Haut-Brion

Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan

Bordeaux

Pessac-Léognan

A blend of 56.3% Sauvignon Blanc and 43.7% Semillon, La Clarte de Haut Brion 2023 has a pH of 3.2. It zips out of the glass with electric scents of fresh limes, yuzu, and green mango, leading to hints of chalk dust and white pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a crisp line to cut through the intense citrus layers, finishing long and chalky.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Effortless, well balanced, white peach, juicy pear, delicious, sculpted and extremely easy to love. 3.2ph, 40% new oak. A test with shade cloths to provide cover for the berries on a small part of the white vineyard is underway, as the team under Jean-Philippe Delmas reacts to the changing conditions.

Inside Bordeaux

Skyrockets out with intense scents of lime cordial, fresh grapefruit, and lemonade, plus hints of chalk dust and chamomile blossoms. The light-bodied palate is lively and intense with chalky sparks complementing the zesty flavors, finishing with impressive length.

The 2022 La Clarte de Haut-Brion is a blend of 53.7% Sauvignon Blanc and 46.3% Semillon aging in 38.2% new oak. It skips out with ready-to-go scents of fresh grapefruit, green mango, and white peaches, with underlying wafts of lime leaves and wet pebbles. The medium-bodied palate is lively and well-balanced, with plenty of citrusy flavors and a chalky finish.

If you are going to pick a 2nd wine in the 2021 vintage, I strongly recommend heading to the whites. Hard to go wrong here, with its grip and pummice-stone tension, savoury white pear and mouthwatering lime zest, citrus peel, excellent quality. Has a clear intensity to it, a slate-textured finish and fleshy but pared-back pear fruits. 45% new barrels, and lower alcohols than over the past few years (as with the whole Haut-Brion range). Harvest from September 3 to 13.

This was served at the 67 Pall Mall hard hat party in July, an evening to mark the beginning of what will become their new Bordeaux club in a few years time. It was hot outside, and this was the wine that I kept going back to all evening, it was just so delicious. The has the right amount of weight through the mid palate to give impact and personality. It’s steely also, zingy minerality, with juicy peach and citrus, followed by green apple and steel. Love it.

The 2019 La Clarte de Haut-Brion, 74.8% Semillon and 25.2% Sauvignon Blanc, slowly unfurls to reveal notes of fresh lime juice, wet pebbles, and struck flint, followed by subtle hints of cedar and lemongrass. The medium-bodied palate is restrained, with tight-knit citrus and stone fruit flavors leading to a long saline finish.

A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, La Clarte de Haut-Brion 2018 shows a touch of SO2, before notes of dill seed and crushed rocks, over a core of baked apples and poached pears. Medium-bodied with seamless freshness and restrained apple and mineral layers, the palate finishes a tad short.

Succulent and structured, rich and powerful, layered with yuzu, salted lemon rind, sage and steel. 40% new oak for ageing, this is a Clarté to look out for. In 2016 much of the Sémillon that usually would go in the 1st wines (drawn from both Haut-Brion Blanc and La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc vines) was used here. Exceptional quality, perfect moment to drink. One of the wines of the night, overperforming expectations and utterly knockout.

2024	No priceNot available	Excellent
2023	No priceNot available	Excellent
2022	No priceNot available	Excellent
2021	No priceNot available	Excellent
2020	No priceNot available	Outstanding

Category	White wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Haut-Brion
Vintages	2023
Country	France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan
Bottle	75 cl

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