Carmes Haut Brion 2023

Les Carmes Haut-Brion

Case Format: 1x300cl

Drink To: 2065

The lesser-known neighbour of Haut Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, Château Les Carmes Haut Brion are not one to be overlooked. Positioned on the same distinct terroir as its famous counterparts, this Pessac-Léognan estate has been creating beautiful wine for centuries. 7.6 hectares of the 29.6-hectare estate are used to produce Les Carmes Haut Brion. The vineyard is planted with Merlot (c.41%), Cabernet Franc (c.39%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (c.20%). The vines are on average nearly 45 years old, with the oldest being close to 90. Around 45% of their grapes are fermented with the stems intact in a bid to add more freshness and minerality to the wine. After vinification the wines are aged in 100% new French oak barrels, with 5% of the wine aged in clay amphora. The end result is a beautifully complex wine, that comprises silky textures and strong fruity flavours.

IN BOND

CRITIC REVIEWS

95-97
Jeb Dunnuck

As to the Grand Vin 2023 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, this beauty checks in as 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot that was fermented with 60% whole cluster, brought up in 70% new barrels, with a good portion in foudre and amphora. It has a deep ruby/purple hue and vibrant aromatics of cassis and black cherries as well as leafy tobacco, spring flowers, woodsmoke, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, it stays tight and compact on the palate, with a lively spine of acidity, beautiful precision and focus, ripe yet certainly present tannins, and outstanding length. It’s incredibly elegant, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this gain mid-palate density over the course of its élevage. It’s going to be long-lived.

96-98
Lisa Perrotti-Brown

A blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot, Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2023 has a pH of 3.62. It was fermented with 60% whole bunches and it is aging in 70% new oak barrels, 20% new oak vats of 18 hl, and 10% amphorae. It has an opaque purple-black color and needs a little swirling and coaxing to bring out fabulously pure, well-defined notes of juicy black cherries, blackcurrant pastilles, ripe juicy blackberries, and licorice, leading to hints of tar, peonies, wet slate, and black olives, with a touch of Sichuan pepper. The light to medium-bodied palate is airy and refreshing, with a solid backbone of very fine-grained, prancing tannins and bold freshness supporting the pristine black fruit flavors, finishing long and minerally. I had to spend a good 15 minutes with this wine to allow it to grow: it is incredibly tight to begin but expands to become something powerful. A beguiling 2023 with fully ripe black fruit characters and a paradoxical airiness, it really makes your head spin in the best possible way!

DELIVERY INFORMATION

Please note the price indicated by Duty Paid shows the cost of the wine with the applicable taxes (Duty & VAT) added.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

COLOUR

COUNTRY

REGION

VINTAGE

CASE FORMAT

DRINK TO

2065

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Cru Wine Ltd.

Registered company 08579498. Cru Wine Limited, 109 Hammersmith Road, London, United Kingdom, W14 0QH. VAT Number: GB180547111. All rights reserved.