Bordeaux Rose Inspired by Haut-Brion AOC

Clarendelle was created by Domaine Clarence Dillon — the American family that has owned Château Haut-Brion since 1935 — as a vehicle to express Bordeaux's classic varieties with the same varietal philosophy that governs the grand cru. The rosé draws fruit from

the Entre-Deux-Mers plateau, where free-draining gravel and sandy-clay soils over a limestone subsoil encourage early ripening and preserve natural acidity in the grapes.

That drainage limits vine stress and produces fruit with clean, precise character rather than heavy extraction. The blend centres on Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, vinified as a direct-press rosé to retain freshness; fermentation is conducted at low temperature in stainless steel to lock in primary fruit aromatics and floral lift.

The deliberate choice to use Haut-Brion's Cabernet-led varietal template — unusual in a region where rosé is often Merlot-dominant — gives the wine a structural backbone that sets it apart from softer Provençal-style expressions. Drink young, within two to three years of vintage, when its red-fruit brightness and gentle grip are at their most expressive.