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.

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.

The 2011 Clarence de Haut-Brion has a well-defined bouquet with red berry fruit, undergrowth and sage aromas, nicely balanced and quite fresh. The palate is well balanced with fine tannins, crisp red berry fruit and a pure, almost Burgundy-like finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. -- Neal Martin

An impressive second wine, delicious red and black currant, spice box and earth notes intertwined with an underlying floral-like character jump from the glass of the 2011 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion. Complex with silky tannins, medium to full body and a long finish, this sleeper of the vintage can be drunk early on or cellared for 10-15 years. - Robert Parker