2025 La Clarte de Haut-Brion (Pessac-Leognan)

Always a wonderful white wine, and this has real charm, white pear, garden apples, an orchard feel that is not the case every year, suggested hidden depths rather than the exuberance of some vintages. Totally beautiful, drawn out, pumice and slate. 23hl/ha yield, August 14, 2nd earliest harvest in history after 2003, just one day earlier. Harvest August 14 to 21. 59% new oak. Grégoire Bucaille vineyard manager. 3.35ph. 91 points

The 2025 La Clarte de Haut-Brion, a blend of 76.5% Semillon and 23.5% Sauvignon Blanc (50% Haut-Brion and 50% La Mission Haut-Brion), reveals a refined, spicy and fresh bouquet with notes of ripe white fruits. Medium- to full-bodied, round and enveloping, it’s built around a core of fruit with notable dry extract, combining freshness with a sense of movement on the palate. It`s a particularly successful rendition of this cuvee. 91-93 points

The 2025 La Clarte de Haut-Brion is a wine built on serious texture. Lemon confit and mint emerge on the very dense palate, accented by hints of chamomile, acacia and dried flowers. This has real textural presence and the character to match. As a reminder, La Clarte is the second wine of both Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion. 90-92 points

The 2025 La Clarte de Haut-Brion has a bright and lively bouquet with scents of white flower, apricot and freshly sliced pear, with just a hint of white chocolate underneath. The palate is well balanced, with a pleasing fatness and weight, counterbalancing acidity keeping it on its toes. Just a dab of stem ginger towards the finish, this is a decent La Clarte de Haut-Brion. 89-91 points