Tour Carnet 2018

Haut Medoc, Fourth Growth

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Tasting Notes
The 2018 La Tour Carnet is not quite as overripe as I feared on the nose, though I have still tasted plenty of other vintages that show more delineation. It turns very earthy with aeration and over several hours of opening, if anything, closes up instead of opens. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, grippy tannins. There is adequate freshness here, although some sinew on the finish takes away from its finesse. Give this some bottle age and I suspect it will repay you. Score: 89 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023 - 2036 23 August 2021
The 2018 La Tour Carnet feels a little overripe on the nose at the moment, with confit scents developing in the glass, although a second bottle comes across much fresher and more focused. The grippy palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin and shows more restraint than the aromatics. It feels quite assertive, but the finish does not kick on and deliver the complexity and nuance that I have witnessed in other vintages. I might just prefer the more elegant 2017. Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021-2034 01 November 2019
Lots of impressive cassis and currant fruit as well as tobacco, lead pencil, new leather, and spice notes emerge from the 2018 Château Tour Carnet. It's a medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant 2018 with good concentration, ripe tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and outstanding length. It's well worth buying multiple bottles and is going to drink brilliantly for 15 years or more. Score: 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2021 - 2036 22 July 2021
In the running for one of the best Haut-Médocs out there, the 2018 Château La Tour Carnet sports a deep purple color as well as an already complex bouquet of spicy red and black fruits, tobacco, new leather, and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, impeccably balanced, and with fine tannins that frame the finish beautifully, it’s going to be a smoking value to buy by the case. Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 01 May 2019
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 la Tour Carnet is a little closed and broody to begin, slowly unfurling to offer glimpses at notions of tar, star anise, damp soil and tapenade with a core of stewed plums and boysenberries, plus a waft of cassis. The medium-bodied palate has lovely freshness and bags of savory-laced black fruits framed by rounded tannins, finishing with a lively lift. Score: 90 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2023 - 2038 18 July 2021
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 la Tour Carnet features notes of warm black cherries, dark chocolate, star anise and garrigue over a core of blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries and black tea. Medium to full-bodied with a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins, it has a muscular mid-palate and a refreshing herbal lift on the finish. Score: 90 - 92 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 23 April 2019
Once again Magrez has made a very enjoyable wine at this estate. There's a ton of fruit on offer and it has been extracted liberally but with care. The construction and the architecture feel more like 2010 and 2016 than many of its peers in 2018. It's a good wine that's clearly going to age exceptionally well. It has notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, dark chocolate, liquorice and black pepper. It has layers of complexity and enough acidity to rein in the exuberance. Note, as ever, that the bottle is the heaviest of the line up - a shame when he is doing so much work to reduce environmental impact. 40hl/ha yield. Ageing is in 33% new oak. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2024-2037 15 April 2019
Love the freshness and vibrance of this vintage for La Tour Carnet. Lots of blackcurrants and blackberries, as well as stones. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Shows tension and resilience. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 11 April 2019
The 2018 La Tour Carnet is fabulous. Bold, punchy and alluring in its beauty La Tour Carnet is wonderfully expressive, even in the early going. Cedar, tobacco, mint, dried flowers and licorice add layers of nuance to this deep, sumptuous Haut-Médoc from Bernard Magrez. The 2018 speaks with a dark, baritone voice that is undeniably alluring. But most importantly, the La Tour Carnet is shaping up to be one of best values in Bordeaux in 2018. I can't think of too many other wines that offer this much quality for the money. In 2018, the blend is 60% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. Tasted four times. Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 April 2019
A beam of cassis and cherry fruit glides through, with light stone and iron accents. Pure and honest. Score: 90 - 93 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 2019

Tasting Notes

The 2018 La Tour Carnet is not quite as overripe as I feared on the nose, though I have still tasted plenty of other vintages that show more delineation. It turns very earthy with aeration and over several hours of opening, if anything, closes up instead of opens. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, grippy tannins. There is adequate freshness here, although some sinew on the finish takes away from its finesse. Give this some bottle age and I suspect it will repay you.

Score: 89

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023 - 2036 23 August 2021

The 2018 La Tour Carnet feels a little overripe on the nose at the moment, with confit scents developing in the glass, although a second bottle comes across much fresher and more focused. The grippy palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin and shows more restraint than the aromatics. It feels quite assertive, but the finish does not kick on and deliver the complexity and nuance that I have witnessed in other vintages. I might just prefer the more elegant 2017.

Score: 89 - 91

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021-2034 01 November 2019

Lots of impressive cassis and currant fruit as well as tobacco, lead pencil, new leather, and spice notes emerge from the 2018 Château Tour Carnet. It's a medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant 2018 with good concentration, ripe tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and outstanding length. It's well worth buying multiple bottles and is going to drink brilliantly for 15 years or more.

Score: 92

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2021 - 2036 22 July 2021

In the running for one of the best Haut-Médocs out there, the 2018 Château La Tour Carnet sports a deep purple color as well as an already complex bouquet of spicy red and black fruits, tobacco, new leather, and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, impeccably balanced, and with fine tannins that frame the finish beautifully, it’s going to be a smoking value to buy by the case.

Score: 90 - 92

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 01 May 2019

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 la Tour Carnet is a little closed and broody to begin, slowly unfurling to offer glimpses at notions of tar, star anise, damp soil and tapenade with a core of stewed plums and boysenberries, plus a waft of cassis. The medium-bodied palate has lovely freshness and bags of savory-laced black fruits framed by rounded tannins, finishing with a lively lift.

Score: 90

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2023 - 2038 18 July 2021

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 la Tour Carnet features notes of warm black cherries, dark chocolate, star anise and garrigue over a core of blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries and black tea. Medium to full-bodied with a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins, it has a muscular mid-palate and a refreshing herbal lift on the finish.

Score: 90 - 92

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 23 April 2019

Once again Magrez has made a very enjoyable wine at this estate. There's a ton of fruit on offer and it has been extracted liberally but with care. The construction and the architecture feel more like 2010 and 2016 than many of its peers in 2018. It's a good wine that's clearly going to age exceptionally well. It has notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, dark chocolate, liquorice and black pepper. It has layers of complexity and enough acidity to rein in the exuberance. Note, as ever, that the bottle is the heaviest of the line up - a shame when he is doing so much work to reduce environmental impact. 40hl/ha yield. Ageing is in 33% new oak.

Score: 93

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2024-2037 15 April 2019

Love the freshness and vibrance of this vintage for La Tour Carnet. Lots of blackcurrants and blackberries, as well as stones. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Shows tension and resilience.

Score: 92 - 93

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 11 April 2019

The 2018 La Tour Carnet is fabulous. Bold, punchy and alluring in its beauty La Tour Carnet is wonderfully expressive, even in the early going. Cedar, tobacco, mint, dried flowers and licorice add layers of nuance to this deep, sumptuous Haut-Médoc from Bernard Magrez. The 2018 speaks with a dark, baritone voice that is undeniably alluring. But most importantly, the La Tour Carnet is shaping up to be one of best values in Bordeaux in 2018. I can't think of too many other wines that offer this much quality for the money. In 2018, the blend is 60% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. Tasted four times.

Score: 90 - 93

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 April 2019

A beam of cassis and cherry fruit glides through, with light stone and iron accents. Pure and honest.

Score: 90 - 93

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 2019

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