Le Clarence de Haut Brion Pessac-Léognan (Château Bahans Haut-Brion)

Violets and dark berries with hints of wet earth and black truffles on the nose. Medium-bodied, this has focused tannins that tighten at the end. Blackcurrants and mushrooms with dried earth. Muscular for the second wine of Haut-Brion. Needs four or five years to soften and open. Best after 2029.

This is deep for a 2021, with blackberries, walnuts, chocolate and hazelnuts. Very subtle. Medium body, with an appealingly creamy center palate. Beautiful now but will improve with age.

Very suave, offering cassis, mulled plum and cherry compote notes that have nice inner freshness, with subtle iron, red tea and savory accents filtering through on the refined finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035.