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Wine Description
The Story
La Clarté de Haut-Brion is a rare and exceptional white wine, as much due the very small scale of its production as to its composition.
It is effectively the offspring of Domaine Clarence Dillon's two prestigious white wines: Château Haut-Brion Blanc and Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc. This second-label white wine was given its new name beginning with the 2009 vintage.
Prior to this vintage, the second-label wine combining selected plots from both Château Haut-Brion Blanc and Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc was known as Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion.
This wine is the result of the blend of two second wines from our two estates. Even when still very young it will give wine lovers the opportunity to get to know the expression of the Semillon (which makes up most of the blend) in a dry white wine. Fruity and floral aromas impart great freshness and unique complexity to this wine, which is a fine introduction to its elders.
Fermentation in oak casks
Length of initial maturing period in oak casks: 9-12 months in 40-50% new wood
Average production: 1,000 to 1,200 cases
Wine Information
The expression of Sémillon in a dry white wine of great finesse
This second white wine is common to the Châteaux Haut- Brion and the La Mission Haut-Brion. Produced through the blending of the second wines of the two estates, the Clarté de Haut-Brion is made from the sémillon and sauvignon grape varieties (around 1,000 cases per vintage). A very nice first introduction before moving on to meet the wine’s elders.
The wine is pale yellow in color. The first nose is moderately intense, slowly revealing itself when swirled in a glass, with a subtle aroma of sauvignon accented by aniseed and spicy notes. On the palate, the wine moves forward, delicate and fragrant, and then thickens, revealing its full-bodied side with a pleasing acidity. There lingers an aftertaste dominated by white flowers. A superb wine to drink young.
2019 is the first example of a Clarté where the sauvignon blanc dominates, which makes it very difficult to compare with previous vintages. Topped with an incredible expression of fruit, it is unique!
Vintage 2019
BORDEAUX 2019 VINTAGE
When I was visiting Bordeaux early March, Corona was a threat on the horizon and France has been more concerned by a strike of the air traffic control. However, I was travelling to Bordeaux and had the chance to get some first insights to the 2019 vintage. I was very much looking forward to the “en primeur tastings” which were scheduled for March 26, 2020 but the tastings were cancelled mid-March. Immediately I contacted the different associations and wineries in Bordeaux and asked for samples.
The result was a small number of wines which arrived in Essen before the shutdown of France made shipments rather difficult. These first samples of the vintage 2019 were tasted under pristine conditions to assure a fair and equal assessment of all qualities. In fact, the samples proved right the opinion of some of Bordeaux’ leading figures. Bruno-Eugène Borie from Château Ducru-Beaucaillou sees 2019 in a line with the excellent vintages of 2016, 2010, 2009 und 2005.
Henri Lurton talks about his best vintage, along with 2016, he has ever vinified at Château Brane-Cantenac. Philippe Dhalluin from Château Mouton-Rothschild asses the vintage as rich and abundant in quality and also in quantity. After some smaller crops they came back to an average production.
Emmanuel Cruse from Château d’Issan sees that 2019 has a lot in common with 2016 yet preserving more freshness. It is a very good vintage but appearing at a very difficult time on the market. In fact, the start of this vintage was very positive. Enough precipitations during winter were retained by soils like chalk and clay. Vineyards on these water retaining soils had a huge advantage in the future growing period. With exception of a wet June, the vintage has taken advantage of a rather dry climatic condition, which prevented diseases in the vineyards to a huge extend. No chance for powdery or downy mildew. Even the heat waves were not really harming the vines as rain set in, always at the last moment but still early enough to prevent massive water stress and a slow-down of the maturity. The late physiological maturity brought a lot of alcohol, but the wines show more freshness as in the previous years.
Fabien Teitgen, Winemaker of Smith-Haut-Lafitte relates this freshness to the good acidity “due to cool night temperatures during the ripening period”. This fact is also good news for white wines. „They are the big surprise “, says Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier.
At Château Coutet in Barsac, Philippe and Aline Baly were harvesting in three passes with a total of 19 harvesting days. They judge the conditions as rather ideal: “These climatic conditions have generated a harvest whose quality is indisputably present.” Same samples made their way to Essen and I have tasted them. Some more samples are announced and will hopefully arrive during the current week. There will be a weekly update of my tasting notes, whenever samples will arrive.
Unfortunately, 2019 arrives in a difficult time, the Corona virus puts the world in fear and makes trade more and more difficult. Trade berries and new customs duties create a difficult frame for this vintage. However, we should not forget one thing: there are wonderful 2019s waiting for us, wines with ageing potential and charm which will survive every crisis.