92-94

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2025 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is seamless and layered. Dark red-toned fruit, spice, new leather, mocha and plum race across the palate. Deep, ample and super expressive, Le Clarence has a ton to offer. This is very much the younger sibling of the Grand Vin. 04/2026

91-93

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2025 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion has a little more comeliness than the La Chapelle de la Mission, perhaps due to the higher percentage of Merlot (66.5%). Dark cherries, sous-bois, a touch more minéralité coming through by direct comparison. Just a very marginal ash-like scent. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins, firm in the mouth, a tad more backbone than expected. Delineated and delivering quite a potent, granular-textured finish, you can feel the mouth tingling with red peppercorns on the aftertaste. Great potential and a very fine Deuxième Vin. 05/2026

91-93

Yohan Castaing

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 2025 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, a blend of 66.5% Merlot, 28.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5.2% Cabernet Franc, reveals a floral bouquet with pronounced dark fruit, evolving toward cassis and spice with aeration. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and structured, it’s built around a deep core of fruit and has more marked freshness on the finish than La Chapelle, lending it a more ethereal profile, enhanced by menthol notes that reinforce this sense of lift. Comparable in density and structure to La Chapelle, it remains somewhat reserved at this stage and will require patience. 04/2026

92-94

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

Ripe red and black fruits, scorched earth, graphite, and smoky tobacco all emerge from the 2025 Le Clarence De Haut-Brion, the second wine of Haut-Brion. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has chewy, focused, firmer tannins, beautiful balance, and a great finish. It has plenty of classic Pessac class and character. 05/2026

94

Jean-Marc Quarin

Jean-Marc Quarin

Couleur rouge sombre, intense et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, subtil, proche de Haut-Brion par sa note fumée et éloigné de La Mission ou de Chapelle par l'absence de framboises. Plus solaire à l'agitation du verre. Minutieux en entrée de bouche, très parfumé au milieu, avec de l'éclat dans la saveur et une conduite un brin ferme, le vin s'étire longtemps, riche de ses arômes. Un délice. Assemblage : 66,5 % Merlot, 28,3 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 5,2 % Cabernet Franc. Degré d'alcool : 13°25 - pH : 3,69. Rendement : 22,3 hl/ha. 04/2026

95-96

James Suckling

James Suckling

Structured yet refined, with polished tannins that run the length of the wine. Dark berries, smoke and cedar on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with very integrated tannins. Classy second wine from Haut Brion. 04/2026