Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass: DFWE NYC 2024

Soon after 9am – an hour before doors opened – queues started forming for the Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass, the first in a stellar programme of guided tastings at Decanter's third Fine Wine Encounter in New York. With three vintages each of first-growth Château Haut-Brion, its exquisite neighbour Château La Mission Haut-Brion and the Right Bank property Château Quintus, this sold-out masterclass proved that guests had no qualms about enjoying Bordeaux for breakfast. Guillaume-Alexandre Marx, commercial director for the Domaine Clarence Dillon portfolio, led attendees through the 10 wines – including the 2021 vintage of white La Clarté de Haut-Brion. Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of the 10 wines tasted at the Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass [subscriber-content][breakout] Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass: three stellar estates [caption id="attachment_532226" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Guillaume-Alexandre Marx and Natalie Earl presenting the masterclass[/caption] Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France 1995 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France 2005 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France 2010 Château Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France 2003 Château Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France 2006 Château Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France 2009 Château Quintus, St-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France 2016 Château Quintus, St-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France 2018 Château Quintus, St-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France 2020 Château Haut-Brion, La Clarté de Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France 2021

[/breakout] Château La Mission Haut-Brion 1995 An early year, but a hot one (a common theme among the wines of this masterclass). This seduced in its aromatic display, holding court with both savoury notes of autumn leaves and the tartness of wild blackberries. 2005 Recognised as being a very fine vintage despite being very dry, with similar conditions to the legendary 1949 vintage, producing consistently excellent wines across all appellations in Bordeaux. This La Mission is no exception, and provided guests with an incredible sensory experience. 2010 The driest vintage since 1949, leading to high concentration and sugar levels. Cool nights helped to retain freshness. This wine was explosive, luxurious and sumptuous; powerful but still an absolute pleasure to drink now. Château Haut-Brion 2003 Famously the hottest summer on record in France, with a heatwave that swept across the country. ‘In Bordeaux, we normally have an average of 16 days above 30°C,’ said Marx, ‘but in 2003 there were 49 days above 30°C.’ As a result, it was the earliest the estate had ever harvested. Unusually, reds and whites were harvested by night, and for the first time refrigerated trucks were used to keep the grapes cool once picked. Now they're used frequently. Because of the extreme conditions, the wine is even more impressive for its balance. It's not heavy or cooked, and the tannins are silky and delicious. 2006 A varied winter and spring, but a hot and dry summer. Despite not being massively high-rated by critics, the wine is complete and now showing well. It came in the shadow of the highly lauded 2005. 2009 Another dry year, after sufficient rain in spring, producing one of the most arresting wines of the masterclass. The fruit quality felt impeccably pure and was underpinned by caperberry salinity and marvellous poise. Château Quintus 2016 A consistent vintage that ticked all the boxes a winemaker could hope for. Purchased by Domaine Clarence Dillon in 2011, Quintus sees less new oak than its Left Bank cousins Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, at only 35%. ‘We try to be really soft on the extraction and new oak on Quintus, in order to preserve the freshness and elegance,’ said Marx. 2018 Stormy weather in spring slowed down the vines' growth, but the summer was hot and there were not many problems from then on. This wine charmed right away, with its expressive, youthful, fleshy fruit. 2020 The vines' growth cycle started early, the earliest since 1989, and this was followed by mildew risk because of spring rain. The summer was then exceptionally hot and dry, and has led to a highly concentrated wine, with lots of richness and opulence. When and how to drink Domaine Clarence Dillon wines While most people think Bordeaux comes into its own with long bottle age, Marx made the case for considering the situation and surroundings rather than the vintage. ‘You can drink a young vintage of La Mission, but you have to pair it with the right food,’ he advised. ‘If you're drinking a young vintage, you don't have to go for sophisticated food,’ he noted, suggesting that a top cut of meat on the barbecue served with mashed potato would provide just the right pairing. On the other hand, the delicacy and subtlety of older vintages, such as the 1995 La Mission, would require more complex, refined dishes – ‘something lighter with a delicate mushroom sauce’, suggested Marx. [/subscriber-content] DFWE NYC 2024: the Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass wines: [wine-collection] Related articles How to blind taste Bordeaux Domaine Clarence Dillon shines at the 2023 Oscars Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Haut-Brion down nearly 40%

PREMIUM

Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass: DFWE NYC 2024

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of the 10 wines tasted at the Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass

DFWE NYC 2024: the Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass wines:

Related articles

How to blind taste Bordeaux

Domaine Clarence Dillon shines at the 2023 Oscars

Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Haut-Brion down nearly 40%

Latest Wine News

Traces of ‘forever chemical’ TFA found in European wines

Blind faith: Eliza Dumais on our obsession with tasting blind

Michelin Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza 2025: Winners revealed

The world’s finest bubbles at DFWE New York

AI may help Napa wineries adapt to ‘climate chaos’

Latest Premium Content

South Africa’s next generation: Six brilliant winemakers forging a new scene

Lange Estate: A quiet legacy in the Willamette Valley & vertical tasting

Saving Gringet – Haute-Savoie’s rarest treasure

Bordeaux 2024: The campaign begins in earnest – and early

Yalumba: Latest Museum Release celebrates the art of cellaring