“Give me a !#^&@% minute!” interjected Agent Noir when he was last in Bordeaux, told by his host to rush through the Haut-Brion flight, including this little beauty. That’s how complex these wines are. They unfold by the minute, revealing new layers as they breathe.

There is NOTHING regular about Haut-Brion, be it their Grand Vin, third, or second wine.

Clarence is second to none.

If you were lucky enough to grab some of the 2018 we offered (before it quickly sold out), you know what we mean.

What Robert Parker finds in Clarence: “Endowed with gorgeous fruit, texture, purity and elegance, this relatively dense second wine demonstrates how draconian the selection process has become for the top estates in Bordeaux in recent years.”

The 2019? The middle in a trio of SPECTACULAR vintages. “Jean-Philippe Delmas is delighted with his 2019s, and justly so, as this rich, dramatic and unusually powerful vintage is a great success for Château Haut-Brion,” reports Wine Advocate.

Vinous goes on to underline that, “The 2019 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is just as impressive as it was en primeur. Dark and brooding, Le Clarence is marked by its brooding intensity and youthful reticence. It is far from an easygoing second wine.”

Oh, and you’d be paying $800-1,000 a bottle for the big brother. This is cut from the same cloth, just younger vines and with more Merlot in the blend, all to give it early drinkability with the same ‘Haut-Brion-ness’ that leaves you breathless.

96 Points – James Suckling “This is very beautiful with pure blackcurrant and rose-petal aromas, together with wet earth and black truffle, following through to a medium-to full-bodied palate with ultra-fine tannins that coat the mouth and deliver a fantastic impression. The complexity of flavor is so satisfying in the finish. Try after 2026.”

95 Points – Wine Enthusiast “The wine’s density and dusty tannins are impressive. This second wine of Haut-Brion has concentration while also focusing on black fruits. It is a powerful wine while also having plenty of style and focused balance. Drink from 2026.”