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In 1934, Mr. Clarence Dillon,
the eminent international financier,
visited Bordeaux. These were
difficult times for the major
world economies'. Bordeaux had
not been spared by the depression
and many of the most renowned
vineyards of the region were
for sale. Among these featured
the illustrious First Growth,
Chateau Haut-Brion.
Clarence Dillon was a man of
many passions that ranged from
farming and specialist animal
breeding (including cattle,
dogs, fowl) to hunting on horseback,
ornithology, photography, architecture,
garden design and botany. All
of these interests came after
his first two primary passions
which were without a doubt his
family and his business, Dillon
Read.
What all of these interests
had in common was the fact that
Clarence Dillon invested himself
wholeheartedly in his endeavours
until these reached the zenith
of their potential.
In Chateau Haut-Brion, Clarence
Dillon found not only the charm
of an elegant and fabled estate,
but also the opportunity of
a lifetime. He discovered a
tarnished jewel.
This estate had sparkled for
centuries prior to these difficult
times and yet in 1934,
Mr. Gibert, the current owner,
had not been successful in his
bid to give the estate away
to the town of Bordeaux because
of the high maintenance costs
and meager returns.
The estate needed someone of
passion and means to allow it
to weather the storm. Clarence
Dillon immediately entered into
negotiations to acquire the
estate and requested that his
Paris office continue these
on his departure by ship to
the United States. On board
the ship during the crossing
he received a telegram which
read "You may acquire Chateau
Haut-Brion if we act fast."
His two word answer was "Act
Fast"! This short and decisive
response was the beginning of
a long family commitment to
this estate and to the wines
of Bordeaux.
Chateau Haut-Brion and the world
of wine became part of the family
culture. Improvements were always
dictated by passion for perfection
rather than financial returns.
It is thanks to these many improvements
and innovations, as well as
the great men and women who
instituted them, that Chateau
Haut-Brion was able to remain
worthy of its noble heritage.
In 1983 the Dillon family also
acquired the neighbouring estate
of Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion.
Today the Dillons are responsible
for producing the two most famous
white wines from this region;
Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc and
Chateau Laville Haut-Brion.
The same teams that are in charge
for these venerable white wines,
also oversee the estates and
vinification of the fabled First
Growth as well as the only property
of size that over the centuries
has consistently rivaled the
first growths both in quality
and price; Chateau La Mission
Haut-Brion. Seventy years after
the arrival of Clarence Dillon
in Bordeaux, his great-grandson,
Prince Robert of Luxembourg,
has opened a new chapter in
the Dillon family story in Bordeaux,
by creating Clarence Dillon
Wines.
Clarence Dillon Wines will oversee
the production and sale of what
may well be Bordeaux's first
true comprehensive range of
Premium Wines. The name Clarendelle
takes its inspiration in that
of Mr. Clarence Dillon and aims
to be true to the heritage of
perfection which this great
man instituted in his family.
Clarendelle's name thus pays
homage to the ancestor who brought
the family to this region. In
creating Clarendelle the team
from Clarence Dillon Wines and
their colleagues at Domaine
Clarence Dillon, wish to discover
and extract the best from the
enormous potential and savoir-faire
that this region and terroir
provide. They already benefit
from centuries of acquired knowledge
and will aim to produce wines
worthy and representative of
their heritage and provenance.
Clarence Dillon Wines will also
provide the service of a classical
Bordeaux Negociant business
with a particular focus on the
wines emanating from the estates
of its mother company, Domaine
Clarence Dillon.
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