At a glance

Producer

Château Haut-Brion

Region

Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France

Grape variety

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

Wine type

Red

Body

Full-bodied and Smooth

Sweetness

Dry

Typical price

$200-$350 USD/bottle retail (2024), higher at auction

Tasting profile

Ripe blackcurrant, plum, cedar, graphite, cigar box, sweet spice, softened tannins, elegant finish.

Evolution: Fruit shifting to dried and stewed, truffle, forest floor, tobacco, silky structure.

At peak: Most harmonious balance of fruit, acidity, tertiary notes; velvety texture, long finish, profound complexity.

Structure

Acidity

Medium+; fresh yet harmonious

Tannins

Fine-grained, ripe, fully integrated

Alcohol

Medium to medium+ (approx. 13.5-14%)

Aging potential

Develops gracefully through 2030+; much complexity now, will plateau soon

Drinking window

Peak drinking

2021 to 2048

Optimal window

2017 to 2051

Current status

Ready to drink

Current condition

Mature but still showing vibrant fruit and structure; secondary and tertiary notes emerging

Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, as the second wine of Château Haut-Brion, is built to age but reaches its optimal drinking window earlier than the grand vin. The 2009 vintage, from an outstanding Bordeaux year, offers generosity, depth, and plush textures—maturing gracefully but beginning to plateau, making the present an ideal time for drinking, though well-cellared examples will remain rewarding through the rest of the decade.

Food pairing

Roast lamb, duck breast, beef tenderloin, mushroom risotto, aged Comté or Gruyère, lentil dishes with truffle oil.

Serving

Decant

Not required

Sustainability

Sustainability score: 6/10

Pioneers of gravitation flow winery; on-site water treatment; composting pomace; ongoing trials in chemical reduction; efforts towards biodiversity but no chemical-free or organically-certified practices in 2009. Packaging is traditional, heavy Bordeaux bottles.

Château Haut-Brion is one of Bordeaux's historic leaders in innovation, but 2009 predates major formal sustainability certifications and documented systemic environmental reform. While the estate deploys certain best practices (gravity-flow, waste treatment, composting), it was not certified organic, biodynamic, or HVE at that time, and glass bottle packaging plus distance to market increases its carbon footprint. Progress on sustainability has been significant in the 2010s, but the 2009 vintage does not enjoy these later credentials.