Cory Gowan, JJ Buckley, April 2012

71.5% merlot, 4.5% cabernet franc, 22.8% cabernet sauvignon, and 1.2% petite verdot. Chateau Haut Brion's second wine is an opaque reddish purple, with lots of smoky aromas, plus cassis, blue fruits, and plum. The very soft entry, a hallmark of the 2011s from Pessac-Leognan is balanced, pure, and clean. Fragrant with loads of red fruit flavor, this expands to fill the palate before tightening up on the finish. This has good concentration, yet is very taut at this young stage. Drink 2017-2027.

91 -92 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2012

Lovely second wine of Haut Brion with tobacco, chocolate and dark fruits. Earth too. Full body with fine tannins and pretty finish. Very balanced. Nicely done.

90 -92 points,

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, April 2012

The 2011 Le Clarence de Haut Brion is a blend of 71.5% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc 22.8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1.2% Petit Verdot representing around 46% of the crop (11% of the crop was declassified compared to 20% in 2010.) The nose shows a little more cohesion and fruit intensity than the La Chapelle de la Mission with ripe blackberry and a touch of Hoi Sin. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry, fine acidity, the tannins a little "fatter" and "juicier" than the tensile La Chapelle. Good length on the finish. Very fine.

89 -91 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

The 2011 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is more mineral-based than La Mission's second wine, La Chapelle. The Clarence de Haut-Brion possesses a deep ruby/purple color along with copious notes of black cherries and black currants intermixed with hints of crushed rocks and wet gravel. It's easy to tell it is from the Haut-Brion vineyard. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

91 -93 points,

Wine Enthusiast, April 2012

A very smoky wine, with firm tannins, intense spice and a dry bitter-chocolate character. Its freshness is currently overlain by the wood and fruit tannins. --R.V.

90 -93 points,

Wine Spectator, April 2012

Offers the racy, taut edge of the vintage, but shows slightly better flesh than its La Chapelle counterpart. In the end, this offers a nice briary edge to its range of red and blue fruits, with a lively iron note on the finish. Tasted non-blind.-J.M.

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