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

Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass: three stellar estates

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

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.

DFWE NYC 2024: the Domaine Clarence Dillon masterclass wines:

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