2018 Haut-Brion La Clarte de Haut-Brion
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Tasting notes
Diam closure. 80% Sémillon. Mixture of creaminess and something green – gooseberry fool?! Light, sweet start and something just a little hesitant. Definite sweetness with a bit of grip on the end. (JR)
Critic scores
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2018 La Clarté de Haut-Brion has opened up on the nose since I tasted it from barrel, though that said, it still needs coaxing. It opens to reveal green apple, white peach and melon scents (but none of the brioche elements that I picked up previously). The palate is balanced and fresh, and quite saline in the mouth, with modest weight, although it does not deliver the excitement or the complexity of a top-flight dry white Bordeaux. Drink over the next decade or so.
Lots of honeyed citrus, salty mineral, white flowers, and a kiss of white grapefruit all emerge from the 2018 La Clarte De Haut-Brion Blanc, a medium-bodied, elegant, beautifully balanced white that has an approachable, layered style. It should keep for a decade, probably longer, although there's no need to delay gratification too much.
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.