Clarendelle by Haut Brion 2015
Chateau HAUT-BRION makes CLARENDELLE. So, when you are paying this cheap and you are getting the confidence associated with the famed Chateau Haut Brion, you can't lose.
This 2015 Clarendelle has a bright, medium ruby colour and features excellent balance. It is a ripe on finish, though the impression is the noticeably linear acidity as well as the crunchy ripe red fruit flavours, along with hints of fruit spice and liquorice. The nice surprises are the small, round tannin which is smooth and velvety. The aftertaste is long by AOC standard. With ABV13.5%, it is medium bodied. A natural wine, the fruit is reasoanbly high quality for the level wtih a classic Bordeaux taste. Could we expect more, particularly when you have the fruit sourced from Medoc, Pessac-Leognan, St-Emilion and some of them from the Domaine Clarence Dillon as well. Scores are good: Jeannie Cho Lee 90, Tom Caravan 89.
Quite some fellow wine shops are promoting poor quality wines in a 6-pack for Halloween. Why? We think you just need one good wine, like this one.
The 83% Merlot, 10% Cabernet, 7% Franc give slight complexity and character with a subtle structure. Making the most of the complementary qualities of each variety, oenologists from Domaine Clarence Dillon and the team from Clarence Dillon Wines produce very well-balanced wine. The unusual weather in 2015 was responsible for creating a vintage of excellent quality. Above and beyond the intrinsic elegance, balance, and complexity of Clarendelle wines, this vintage is unquestionably delicious. The warm spring was conducive to even flowering, followed by even warmer temperatures in June and July that led vigorous vine growth enhanced by water reserves accumulated over the rainy winter. The more temperate months of August and September, without excessive sunshine, were favourable to proper ripening and refined aromatic expression. Autumn weather was ideal for maturing tannin in the grape skins. The harvest took place relatively late, and the fruit was of very high quality.
