Château Les CARMES HAUT-BRION
Red

Although Les Carmes is adjacent to Haut-Brion and its vines were once part of those of Haut-Brion, the wines produced there are radically different from those of its prestigious neighbour. Due to a particular subsoil with the presence of clay, the vines are mainly Cabernet Franc (42%) and Merlot (40%) and the wines, deep and tasty, have an immediate generosity more typical of the right bank than the left bank. The new team set up following the acquisition in 2010 immediately propelled Les Carmes to the top of the Pessac-Léognan's wines.

Revue du Vin de France : 96-98/100 "La robe est saisissante de profondeur. Tout aussi profonde, l’expression du fruit, “noir” comme la robe mais paradoxalement d’une grande fraîcheur, développe des nuances presque extravagantes, qui ne sont pas sans évoquer celles que l’on trouve dans les crus du cœur du plateau saint-émilionnais : muscade, pain d’épices, cacao, figue rôtie, évolution vers la rose fanée... Et le bois n’est pour rien dans tout ça. Satinée dès l’entrée en bouche, la matière regorge de saveur. La tension interne est forte, les dimensions multiples, l’harmonie évidente."
Quarin : 97/100 « Couleur noire. Grand nez complexe et nuancé. Touches de bois de pin et de fumée. A l'agitation du verre, il change. Nuances de framboise écrasée. Fond crémeux. En bouche, c'est l'art de la glisse, tout fond, tendre, juteux, minutieux, sur un déroulé aérien qui prend peu à peu de la puissance et s'élève en finale, avant de finir mesuré, incrachable et délicieux. C'est superbe !  »
Galloni : 94-96/100 « The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is increasingly a wine of seamlessness. [...] A pretty big departure from so many other recent vintages that have been far showier at this stage. [...] As always, Les Carmes is marked by its strong presence of Cabernet Franc and use of whole clusters, but as mentioned above, those signatures are less immediately evident than they once were. Les Carmes has been one of Bordeaux's stars over the last few years. I can't wait to see how the 2023 turns out. »
Martin : 94-96/100 « This offers plenty of dark berry fruit mixed with cedar and pinecones on the nose, very well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, and the acidity is very well-judged. Just a soupçon of white pepper appears toward the finish. This is a much more succinct Les Carmes than the 2022, but it's extremely harmonious and characterful. »