Carmes Haut Brion 2019

Pessac-Leognan

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Tasting Notes
The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has a perfumed, quite floral bouquet with red cherries, sloes, blackcurrant and a touch of marmalade. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, and gentle grip. Quite structured with plenty of substance on the finish, just a touch of espresso lingering on the aftertaste. Distinctive, is a positive sense. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Score: 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2050 01 February 2023
The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion contains 60% whole bunches, matured for 26 months in 82% new oak with 9% each of amphora and foudres. This has a beautifully-defined bouquet with pure Dorset plum, wild mint and incense aromas, just a hint of lavender in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with chiselled tannins, crisp acidity, tensile from start to finish with a long mineral, sapid aftertaste. It will vie with the 2016 for best recent vintage. Tasted at the Les Carmes Haut-Brion vertical at the château. Score: 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2060 25 October 2022
I wasn't able to taste the 2019 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion from barrel, but it certainly brings the goods from bottle. Deep ruby/purple-hued, with a smorgasbord-like array of red, blue, and black fruits as well as violets, candied flowers, tobacco, and sappy herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, flawless balance, and that rare mix of power and elegance that truly great Pessac can deliver. Showing the more elegant style of the vintage, it checks in behind the magical, perfect 2018 but is very much in the style of the 2016. Readers will love having this beauty in the cellar, and it will evolve for 40-50 years if stored correctly. Hats off to winemaker Guillaume Pouthier for another thrilling wine. Score: 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2022-2072 11 April 2022
The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out very well in bottle. Mingling aromas of plums and cassis with notions of blood orange, warm spices and new oak, it's full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with an ample core of bright, succulent fruit that's framed by an elegantly muscular chassis of ripe, powdery tannins and lively acids. Concluding with a long, expansive finish, it's reminiscent of a more giving, extroverted version of Pouthier's superb 2016. As is now the rule at this address, some whole bunches were retained during maceration, and the wine saw a long élevage in a variety of vessels, from classic 225-liter Bordeaux barriques to foudres and amphorae. The blend is dominated by 42% Cabernet Franc, complemented by 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot. Score: 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2026 - 2060 07 April 2022
Rippling violet and peony waves alongside creamy blueberry and raspberry fruits, this is a gorgeous 2019 that continues a strong run of vintages at the estate. Slate-textured, salt-licked stones, rosemary and saffron-edged, white truffle spice. Takes its time and stretches out through the palate, tingling and enticing. Technical director Guillaume Pouthier has created something here that stands on its own, with complexity and nuance. Give it a full five or six years before opening. 3.59ph. 60% stems, and once again you see the difference it makes not only in nuance and philosophy but also in the actual physical properties of the wine. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2044 09 February 2022
Inky purple in colour, with peony and iris aromatics, then a whoosh of freshness that makes your mouth water before you are even halfway through. This is extremely impressive, well balanced, with fine tannins and real discretion but hidden power and depths. Clear floral character, with an austerity that makes you celebrate minerality. There are gourmet touches but the focus is rather on slate, rosemary and crushed stones with hints of chocolate shavings alongside the damson and blackberry fruit. 3.56pH, 80% in casks, 11% 20hl wood and 9% amphoras, 55% whole bunch fermentation (which brings the alcohol down to this relatively low level for the estate's location). A wine to surprise those who think Bordeaux can't deliver understatement. Tannin count of 82IPT. Drinking Window 2024 - 2044 Score: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2024-2044 20 June 2020
Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier turned out another stellar wine with the 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion. Elegant, polished and wonderfully nuanced to the core, the 2019 dazzles right out of the gate. Whole clusters enhance a whole range of Cabernet Franc inflections in a wine that is immediately seductive. On the palate, the 2019 is creamy and textured. Plum, blood orange, spice, mocha and dried herbs lend an exotic quality that is so alluring. The 2019 is a mysterious, totally seductive wine that no one who is serious about Bordeaux will want to miss. To be sure, Les Carmes is far from typical, but it is incredibly unique. Its longevity is likely to be measured in multiples of decades. Quite simply, I loved it. Score: 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029 - 2069 01 February 2022
What a great nose with such complexity of blackberry, forest floor, mushroom and bark. Like walking in a deep forest. Full-bodied with a dense palate, yet it remains energetic and focused. Very fine texture. Flavorful finish. Extremely persistent. Fantastic young 2019. Try after 2028. Score: 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2028+ 25 January 2022

Tasting Notes

The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has a perfumed, quite floral bouquet with red cherries, sloes, blackcurrant and a touch of marmalade. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, and gentle grip. Quite structured with plenty of substance on the finish, just a touch of espresso lingering on the aftertaste. Distinctive, is a positive sense. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

Score: 95

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2050 01 February 2023

The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion contains 60% whole bunches, matured for 26 months in 82% new oak with 9% each of amphora and foudres. This has a beautifully-defined bouquet with pure Dorset plum, wild mint and incense aromas, just a hint of lavender in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with chiselled tannins, crisp acidity, tensile from start to finish with a long mineral, sapid aftertaste. It will vie with the 2016 for best recent vintage. Tasted at the Les Carmes Haut-Brion vertical at the château.

Score: 95

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2060 25 October 2022

I wasn't able to taste the 2019 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion from barrel, but it certainly brings the goods from bottle. Deep ruby/purple-hued, with a smorgasbord-like array of red, blue, and black fruits as well as violets, candied flowers, tobacco, and sappy herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, flawless balance, and that rare mix of power and elegance that truly great Pessac can deliver. Showing the more elegant style of the vintage, it checks in behind the magical, perfect 2018 but is very much in the style of the 2016. Readers will love having this beauty in the cellar, and it will evolve for 40-50 years if stored correctly. Hats off to winemaker Guillaume Pouthier for another thrilling wine.

Score: 98

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2022-2072 11 April 2022

The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out very well in bottle. Mingling aromas of plums and cassis with notions of blood orange, warm spices and new oak, it's full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with an ample core of bright, succulent fruit that's framed by an elegantly muscular chassis of ripe, powdery tannins and lively acids. Concluding with a long, expansive finish, it's reminiscent of a more giving, extroverted version of Pouthier's superb 2016. As is now the rule at this address, some whole bunches were retained during maceration, and the wine saw a long élevage in a variety of vessels, from classic 225-liter Bordeaux barriques to foudres and amphorae. The blend is dominated by 42% Cabernet Franc, complemented by 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot.

Score: 96

William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2026 - 2060 07 April 2022

Rippling violet and peony waves alongside creamy blueberry and raspberry fruits, this is a gorgeous 2019 that continues a strong run of vintages at the estate. Slate-textured, salt-licked stones, rosemary and saffron-edged, white truffle spice. Takes its time and stretches out through the palate, tingling and enticing. Technical director Guillaume Pouthier has created something here that stands on its own, with complexity and nuance. Give it a full five or six years before opening. 3.59ph. 60% stems, and once again you see the difference it makes not only in nuance and philosophy but also in the actual physical properties of the wine.

Score: 97

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2044 09 February 2022

Inky purple in colour, with peony and iris aromatics, then a whoosh of freshness that makes your mouth water before you are even halfway through. This is extremely impressive, well balanced, with fine tannins and real discretion but hidden power and depths. Clear floral character, with an austerity that makes you celebrate minerality. There are gourmet touches but the focus is rather on slate, rosemary and crushed stones with hints of chocolate shavings alongside the damson and blackberry fruit. 3.56pH, 80% in casks, 11% 20hl wood and 9% amphoras, 55% whole bunch fermentation (which brings the alcohol down to this relatively low level for the estate's location). A wine to surprise those who think Bordeaux can't deliver understatement. Tannin count of 82IPT. Drinking Window 2024 - 2044

Score: 96

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2024-2044 20 June 2020

Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier turned out another stellar wine with the 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion. Elegant, polished and wonderfully nuanced to the core, the 2019 dazzles right out of the gate. Whole clusters enhance a whole range of Cabernet Franc inflections in a wine that is immediately seductive. On the palate, the 2019 is creamy and textured. Plum, blood orange, spice, mocha and dried herbs lend an exotic quality that is so alluring. The 2019 is a mysterious, totally seductive wine that no one who is serious about Bordeaux will want to miss. To be sure, Les Carmes is far from typical, but it is incredibly unique. Its longevity is likely to be measured in multiples of decades. Quite simply, I loved it.

Score: 97

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029 - 2069 01 February 2022

What a great nose with such complexity of blackberry, forest floor, mushroom and bark. Like walking in a deep forest. Full-bodied with a dense palate, yet it remains energetic and focused. Very fine texture. Flavorful finish. Extremely persistent. Fantastic young 2019. Try after 2028.

Score: 97

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2028+ 25 January 2022

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