2010 Clarendelle Rouge

2010 Clarendelle Rouge $12/$48

Where: Graves, Bordeaux

Who: Ok, ready? This is the “third wine” of Chateau Haut Brion, a 1st growth in Bordeaux. Haut Brion is owned by the Domaine Clarence Dillon, and this wine is made by its daughter company, Clarence Dillon Wines. Confused? Read on!

What: 82% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc

Tastes like: Tasting notes from the winemaker: “Deep brilliant red colour. Beautifully fresh with very ripe red fruit, displaying raspberry and blackcurrant flavours on the palate. This wine is extremely rich and balanced, reflecting silky tannins with a smooth and elegant finish.” In other words: Big red wine, that spends some nice time in fancy oak barrels and is going to make a lot of people happy.

What to pair with: Steak and other red meats.

Being poor like this must be the absolute worst!

The History (according to the winemakers)

Mr Clarence Dillon, an eminent American financier, visited Bordeaux in 1934. He fell under the spell of Château Haut-Brion (one of the 5 1st Growth Bordeaux wines in the 1855 classification)  and recognized the unique opportunity of acquiring such a legendary estate: he had discovered a precious jewel waiting to shine once again.

Although famous for centuries, Haut-Brion was going through difficult times. Mr Clarence Dillon purchased the estate in 1935 and this was the beginning of his family’s long commitment and dedication to this famous château, as well as to the wines of Bordeaux.

Every improvement and innovation since then has been guided by a love of perfection, and Château Haut-Brion has remained worthy of its noble heritage thanks to the men and women responsible for implementing them.

In 1983, the Dillon family also acquired the neighboring estate, Château La Mission Haut-Brion. Since the 2011 vintage, the company is also proud to represent one of the finest wines from Saint Émilion: Château Quintus.

Today, Domaine Clarence Dillon, has the unique privilege of producing five rare and exceptional estate wines of unequalled reputation as well as their second wines. Domaine Clarence Dillon’s expertise, founded on five centuries of history, is reflected in every wine produced by the estate.

In 2005, seventy years after Clarence Dillon’s arrival, his great-grandson, Prince Robert de Luxembourg, began writing a new chapter of the Dillon family’s history by establishing Clarence Dillon Wines to produce and sell the first premium brand wine in Bordeaux: “Clarendelle”.

Inspired by Clarence Dillon’s name, Clarendelle’s mission is to pursue the heritage of perfection left by this great man and it is a tribute to the first member of the family to settle in Bordeaux.

Through the creation of Clarendelle, Clarence Dillon Wines and Domaine Clarence Dillon wish to shed a new light on the tremendous potential and savoir faire of this region, that have made it a benchmark for the entire world. With this outstanding terroir, passionate and qualified men and women, and an expertise handed down over centuries, all the necessary ingredients were there for the creation of a top-end Bordeaux brand.

The 1855 Classification

Commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III and carried out by the region’s courtiers, this classification ranked the top properties of Bordeaux by price prior to international exposure at the Universal Exposition in Paris later that year. All of the properties classified for red wine—with the exception of Château Haut-Brion in Graves—were Médoc châteaux, categorized by price into first through fifth growths.

Unlike the grand cru vineyards of Burgundy, the properties of Bordeaux hold status rather than the land itself, so a vineyard may be classified or declassified as it changes ownership. The name of an estate holds the status. While proponents suggest, in self-fulfilling fashion, that a château’s standing accords its wines the appropriate pricing to continue operating at its level, many critics today argue that the 1855 Classification is outmoded, and that some châteaux perform over or (drastically) under their assigned station. Regardless, the politics and historical significance of the classification render it almost impervious to criticism and nearly immovable. The only significant change to this classification occurred in 1973: after years of tireless self-promotion, Baron Philippe de Rothschild saw a “monstrous injustice” corrected as Château Mouton-Rothschild was elevated from second growth to first, taking its place among the world’s most expensive wines.