| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Haut Médoc |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
A classified growth that remains somewhat under-the-radar (especially in 2003), La Tour Carnet's 2003 is made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon blended with small percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The dark ruby/plum color is followed by a rich, lush, round, fully mature wine with low acidity, ripe fruit and a classic Bordeaux character. Drink this outstanding effort over the next decade. Drink 2014-2024
Round and velvety with lots of berry and cherry character and toasted oak. Full-bodied, with lovely texture and a medium finish. A tiny bit more on the finish would push it to outstanding. Yummy wine. Best after 2008. 14,165 cases made.
Great classic rigour. Lovely classic masculine structure. Very ambitious and made for the long term but already gorgeously opulent on the palate now. Very very fine tannins. Great expression of the ripeness of the vintage with no sacrafice of classicism.
This is another estate that has experienced a dramatic increase in quality since being acquired by Bernard Magrez. Moreover, since it is a large estate (180 acres), the wines tend to sell at a reasonable price ... good news for consumers. A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2003 offers both complexity and pleasure. Already sensual and evolved, it reveals soft, sexy notes of plums, figs, black currants, pain grille, and earth. Although full-bodied, opulent, pure, and rich, it appears to be on a fast evolutionary track, so consumption over the next decade is recommended.
The 2003, which has put on considerable weight, fat, and intensity since I tasted it last year, represents one of the finest efforts from the southern part of the Medoc, a notoriously irregular area because of the heat and drought of 2003. Dense purple in color with a sweet nose of smoke, blackberries, cassis, flowers, and subtle new oak, it exhibits opulent richness, low acidity, and full body. It is a big wine for La Tour Carnet, but beautifully balanced and relatively seamless even at this early stage. This wine has really come on strong and looks to be not only a sleeper of the vintage but a candidate for an outstanding score. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2019.
A long forgotten classified growth being brought back to life by proprietor Bernard Magrez and his winemaking team of Michel Rolland and Jean Cordeau, the 2003 La Tour Carnet (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot) is not as riveting as the brilliant 2001 or 2000. Nevertheless, it is a complex offering revealing an evolved bouquet of dried herbs, underbrush, black cherries, and currants. This seductive, medium-bodied effort is ideal for drinking over the next 7-8 years.
Very fruity wine with jammy, vanilla character. Medium-bodied, dense texture, soft finish.
