Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-LĂ©ognan |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Carmes Haut Brion
Made of 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet colored 2010 Les Carmes Haut-Brion gives up notes of baked blackberries, blackcurrants, black raspberries and cedar chest with hints of baking spices, black olives, pencil lead and Marmite toast. Full-bodied, the generously fruited palate has a solid backbone of grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting all that tightly-packed brawn, finishing with great length and purity. Still incredibly youthful, I suspect this wine has a lot more to give in the years to come! 2020 - 2043
Tasted at the UGC and at the chateau, the 2010 is a blend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Merlot, raised in around 40% new oak. This was a difficult wine to ascertain out of barrels despite numerous encounters. Fortunately it is turning out to be a very fine Pessac-Leognan. It has a well-defined nose that is more bashful than the 2009, with scents of blackcurrant, briary, a touch of marmalade and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, gently grippy tannins on the entry and a structured, fresh, masculine finish that will need several years to unfurl. Delicious. Tasted November 2012.
The wine is less complex than a Chevalier, but displays plenty of raspberries, red currants and sweet cherries as well as hints of vanilla, smoke and Christmas fruitcake. The blend is 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, tipping the scales at 14.5% natural alcohol. Always elegant, stylish and medium-bodied, it should drink best between 2015 and 2030.
Inky depths to the fruit and the colour. Touches of iodine and tar, grilled oak impact, together with impressive texture and expansion through the palate that showcases cassis and bilberry fruits along with curls of espresso and black chocolate. This is at the begining of its drinking window, but has a long life ahead. 3.7ph, higher than you find typically today but still plenty of grip. 40% new oak.