Clarendelle Inspired by Haut-Brion Blanc 2011
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2021-
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James
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James
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Clarendelle, Inspired by Haut-Brion is created by Prince Robert de Luxembourg and named in honour of Mr Clarence Dillon, his great-grandfather, who acquired Château Haut-Brion in 1935.
A member of the eminent Domaine Clarence Dillon family of wines (Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion & Quintus), the style of the Clarendelle wines is dictated by an expression of the Bordeaux terroir which aims to produce subtle elegance in age-worthy wines.
Every year, we revisit the blends in order to reflect only the finest parcels of wine in each individual vintage resulting from long-term partnerships with local winegrowers, attentive to environmental issues. The red wines come primarily from the Saint-Émilion the Haut-Medoc, and the Pessac-Leognan regions (including the Domaine Clarence Dillon estates). The white wines come mainly from the Graves region (including Pessac-Leognan). Like the Haut-Brion wines, Clarendelle offers its assurance by representing an uncompromising quality and consistency with every vintage. We ensure proper aging of our wines in state-of-the-art, eco-friendly wine storage facilities that allow for the ideal aging conditions. This guarantees that our wines reveal their natural refinement and elegance over time.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
Recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties.
Pessac’s Chateau Haut-Brion, the only first growth located outside of the Médoc, is said to have been the first to conceptualize fine red wine in Bordeaux back in the late 1600s. The estate, along with its high-esteemed neighbors, La Mission Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pique-Caillou and Chateau Pape-Clément are today all but enveloped by the city of Bordeaux. The rest of the vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are in clearings of heavily forested area or abutting dense suburbs.
Arid sand and gravel on top of clay and limestone make the area unique and conducive to growing Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc as well as the grapes in the usual Left Bank red recipe: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and miniscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The best reds will show great force and finesse with inky blue and black fruit, mushroom, forest, tobacco, iodine and a smooth and intriguing texture.
Its best whites show complexity, longevity and no lack of exotic twists on citrus, tropical and stone fruit with pronounced floral and spice characteristics.