More abrupt in its tannic structure than La Chapelle, layered with rosemary, campfire, tar, smoke and spice. Needs a few more years and feels a little stubborn, certainly compared to the seductive depths of the main Haut-Brion wine.

Lots of red fruits and soft tannins with a full body. Juicy and delicious. Love the depth to this. Lovely fruit. Second wine of Haut-Brion.

The 2012 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a dark, beguiling beauty. Smoke, violets, dried flowers and savory herbs lead to a core of expressive blue/purplish fruit in a powerful wine that is going to need time to settle down. Far from an easygoing 2012, the Clarence boasts notable depth and intensity to match its virile personality. This is an impressive second wine, that much is obvious.

Offers plum, mixed berry and singed vanilla notes against a backdrop of anise and tar. Displays a sinewy edge on the finish, but the stuffing is there for development. Tasted non-blind. —J.M.

Deep, tight and brooding on the nose – you can tell there is pedigree here. Gentle, fine tannins frame a core of nicely weighted red and black fruit. Decent finish, too. Good.

A wonderfully expansive, velvety textured, rich, full-bodied mouthfeel, are super and very impressive in the 2012 Le Clarence de Haut Brion. This is far higher quality than what most people would consider a second wine, even when coming from a first-growth chateau. Mulberry, spice box and expansive, rich flavors backed up by velvety tannins characterize this medium to full-bodied beautiful wine to drink now and over the next 15-20 years. Bravo.

[43CS/41M/14CF/2PV] Fine rich blackberry fruit nose; well balanced, refined, graceful wine, moderate in concentration but very polished in tannin and fresh in acidity; ripe, suave, subtly mineraly, a touch of warmth on the finish. A bit softer, fuller and fleshier than the La Chapelle, a bit more alcoholic to taste, but very good. 2021-30 [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2013]

Haut-Brion’s second wine, the 2012 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, is a delicious, seductive, fruity, lighter-styled effort exhibiting plenty of crushed rock, floral and mineral notes intermixed with red and black currants, camphor and forest floor. This pretty, medium-bodied wine can be drunk upon release or cellared for a decade.

43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Dark crimson. Very Cabernet-intense on the nose. Then some ripe fruit hits the palate – much more at ease than the Chapelle de la Mission. This does taste like a ‘lite’ version of a grand vin. Very vibrant and chock full of fruit with impressive length. Very fine and easy to see its lineage. A big success. Drink 2020-2030.