2016 La Clarte de Haut Brion Blanc
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Tasting notes
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.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Enthusiast
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Clarté Haut-Brion Blanc has an open-knit bouquet of orange blossom, lemon curd and light nutty aromas, hints of candle wax emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with a lightly spiced opening. There’s plenty of grilled walnut and smoke here, and something almost white-Rioja-like toward the finish – and I mean that as a complement. This has just gained a little complexity in recent months. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Tasted blind. Slightly sweaty notes and a little dull. Competent but no ingredient X. Though it was juicy and suggested future evolution. Could be Domaine de Chevalier? (JR)
About the producer
Ch. Haut-Brion is the only classified growth in Pessac-Léognan. One of the five First Growths, it is renowned for producing both exceptional reds and whites. Along with its sister estate, Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, it is part of the Clarence Dillon stable.