| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Carmes Haut Brion
This 2005 offers a fabulous bouquet of forest floor and flowers, a dark plum/ruby/purple color, and medium body. Super-intense but light on its feet, this beauty seems to be close to full maturity. Complex and cerebral, this stunner is just now drinking beautifully and should continue to do so for another 15 or more years. Drink 2015 - 2030.
Aromas of plum, chocolate and leather follow through to a full body, with a very good richness of fruit and a caressing, medium finish. Not overdone. Balanced and pretty. Best after 2011. 2,500 cases made.
Tasted blind. Blackish crimson. Still-youthful rim. Light nose. Thick. Lacks a bit of lift. A tad sour and stolid on the end. Distinctly stodgy. 13.5%
Drink 2016-2025
Medium red. Ripe aromas of smoky plum, redcurrant, mocha, tobacco and nutty oak. Rich, pliant and fruity, with ripe acids framing the raspberry and subtle game flavors and contributing to the impression of inner-mouth perfume. Offers good volume and a restrained sweetness. Finishes with dusty, serious tannins and very good length.
Came 81st out of 184 wines
A gorgeous effort from this tiny gem, the 2005 Les Carmes is their best wine since 1998 and 2000. Situated in a beautiful park behind Haut-Brion, this estate fashioned a deep ruby-colored 2005 boasting a brilliantly projected set of aromatics (kirsch, smoke, scorched earth, chocolate, leafy tobacco, and creosote). Its full body is somewhat unexpected given the aromatics’ delicacy and nuance. Zesty acidity, sweet tannin, and a light but substantial, classic, traditional style are found in this offering, which represents a synthesis in style between a grand cru Cote de Beaune Burgundy (such as a Corton) and a great Graves. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028
Along with the 1998 and 2000, this is a sensational effort from this tiny jewel of an estate hidden in a park just behind Haut-Brion. The deep ruby color is followed by a superb bouquet of menthol, creme de cassis, graphite, and spice (the Cabernet Franc component is strong in this cuvee). It hits the palate with a full-bodied elegance, purity, precision, and savory charm. Good acidity, sweet tannin, and an ethereal style result in a vivid, compelling Bordeaux that tastes almost Burgundian. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.
This jewel of an estate hidden in a beautiful park (with a swan-filled lake), just behind Haut-Brion, has produced the finest Les Carmes since the 1998 and 2000. The 2005's huge, fragrant nose of spring flowers, blue and red fruits, cedar, and wet rocks soars from the glass. While not a powerful blockbuster, this medium-bodied wine’s terrific intensity, fruit purity, elegance, delicacy, and long persistent finish suggest it will be at its finest between 2011-2025. A liqueur of elegance and grace.
Gamey nose - very full but not heavy or furry. A little rustic but lively and fresh. Proper wine! Quite long too. Proper drink. Pretty dry tannins but not uncomfortably so
