Aromas of forest floor, mushrooms, lavender and violets. Full-bodied, tight and structured with fantastic tannins and focus. Long and layered. Impressively toned. Give it three or four years to come together. Begin drinking in 2023.

Formerly labelled as Bahans Haut-Brion, this is the second wine of the legendary Haut-Brion. Ripe, pure cabernet fruit alongside the lively merlot – blackcurrant and plum. Floral lift. Supple, bright, vibrant palate with dense fruit and great balance. More red fruit on the palate, bright and fresh. Very good. (57% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc.)

This is a seriously impressive vintage for this second label of Chateau Haut-Brion. Blended of 57% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and expressive notes of crushed black cherries, blackberries, warm plums, dusty soil and spice cake with touches of dried roses and cigar boxes. Medium to full-bodied with wonderful concentration and depth, it features firm, beautifully rounded tannins and lively acid, finishing long and earthy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Interim Issue Mid-February 2018, The Wine Advocate

Just as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel, the 2015 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a very serious second wine. The Clarence captures the personality of the vintage at Haut-Brion with terrific eloquence. An infusion of black cherry, mocha, tobacco, chocolate and violet leads into the dark, virile finish. What a gorgeous wine this is! vinous.com, February 2018

The 2015 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a blend of 57% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon picked between 8 September and 5 October. Compared directly with the La Chapelle Mission Haut-Brion, I find that this does not quite possess the same delineation at the moment. This is broodier and more introspective in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, layers of dark berry fruit tinged with tobacco and cedar, gaining weight towards the finish that fans out with a sense of conviction. This should turn out to be an authoritative deuxième vin that will probably be consumed in its youth, but clearly possesses the substance to repay ageing. Those with wise heads will afford it 5-6 years in bottle.

– eRobertParker.com, April 2016

Some obvious Cabernet Sauvignon on the nose. Sweetness on the front palate and then marked fine tannins. Not nearly knit. Very inky finish. Not a charmer at the moment! Dried-grape impression on the end. But there's a little more grace than in the Chapelle de La Mission. Drink 2025-2034.

– jancisrobinson.com, Apr 2016