Tour Carnet 2009

Haut Medoc, Fourth Growth

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Tasting Notes
The 2009 La Tour Carnet has an attractive blackberry, savory and peppermint scented bouquet that opens nicely with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with gritty tannin, quite masculine and sharp with a slightly bitter finish. I suspect this will improve with bottle age as it amidst a dumb phase. Score: 90 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2020-2032 01 March 2019
Cropped at 43hl/ha, a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested between 29th September and 22nd October, this has a ripe, plum, blueberry and cassis scented nose with good definition, if just a little obvious at the moment. Very ripe and sensuous, more like a Right Bank bouquet. The palate is medium-bodied with good acidity, very fine tannins, a slight metallic edge on the entry, good density and focus here with great delineation towards the linear finish. Tightly wound, nicely controlled for the vintage. Tasted March 201 Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 29 March 2010
This dense purple wine displays notes of charcoal, subtle toast and white chocolate as well as blueberry and blackberry liqueur intermixed with hints of graphite and licorice. Dense, full-bodied, unctuously textured, and quite long and thick, this concentrated, impressively endowed wine is silky-textured and already accessible. However, I suspect its best days are at least 5-7 years ahead of it. It should keep for a minimum of two decades. One of the few classified growths in the southern end of the Medoc south of Margaux, La Tour Carnet has been owned for a number of years by Bernard Magrez. It is one of the most picturesque chateaux in Bordeaux, dating from the 12th century, with real towers and a Camelot-style moat surrounding it. A large estate, they have been making top-flight wines for well over a decade, yet the prices remain very realistic for a classified growth Bordeaux. The 2009, which boasts Michel Rolland as the consultant, was a final blend of 62% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest tiny dollops of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Score: 92 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2017-2037 01 March 2012
The finest wine made here since the 2005, the 2009 (a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) was harvested between September 29 and October 22. Its dense purple color is followed by abundant aromas of camphor, charcoal, barrique, blackberries, and creme de cassis. Dense, structured, and full-bodied with high, but sweet, well-integrated tannins, and tremendous precision as well as freshness, this 2009 should evolve for 20-25 years. (Tasted three times.) Score: 91 - 93 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2010-2035 27 April 2010
This little-known property was purchased by Bernard Magrez in the late nineties and has seen a resultant transformation in quality. With Michel Rolland as consultant, La Tour Carnet is now producing attractive, forward wines deserving of its classed growth status. Very consistent performance since 2001. Lovely fresh fruit, some minerality. Good weight. Stylish wine. Score: 90 - 92 Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2010
Very dark. Very subtle and complex on the nose. Round and easy and pretty relaxed. Seems rather effortless. Lots of pleasure and nice ripeness rather than simple sweetness. Good! 16.5+ Score: 16 - 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2028 01 April 2010
Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long finish. Solid and balanced, with pretty tannins. A polished young wine. Score: 90 - 93 James Suckling, Wine Spectator 31 March 2010
Medium-deep ruby. Classic Medoc nose of blackcurrant, graphite and cedar is presently a little closed. Enters the mouth full and silky, with bright blackberry and plum flavors and fine-grained tannins. Finishes moderately long and very clean, though just a touch warm. Score: 87 - 89 Ian D'Agata, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2009

Tasting Notes

The 2009 La Tour Carnet has an attractive blackberry, savory and peppermint scented bouquet that opens nicely with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with gritty tannin, quite masculine and sharp with a slightly bitter finish. I suspect this will improve with bottle age as it amidst a dumb phase.

Score: 90

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2020-2032 01 March 2019

Cropped at 43hl/ha, a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested between 29th September and 22nd October, this has a ripe, plum, blueberry and cassis scented nose with good definition, if just a little obvious at the moment. Very ripe and sensuous, more like a Right Bank bouquet. The palate is medium-bodied with good acidity, very fine tannins, a slight metallic edge on the entry, good density and focus here with great delineation towards the linear finish. Tightly wound, nicely controlled for the vintage. Tasted March 201

Score: 91 - 93

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 29 March 2010

This dense purple wine displays notes of charcoal, subtle toast and white chocolate as well as blueberry and blackberry liqueur intermixed with hints of graphite and licorice. Dense, full-bodied, unctuously textured, and quite long and thick, this concentrated, impressively endowed wine is silky-textured and already accessible. However, I suspect its best days are at least 5-7 years ahead of it. It should keep for a minimum of two decades. One of the few classified growths in the southern end of the Medoc south of Margaux, La Tour Carnet has been owned for a number of years by Bernard Magrez. It is one of the most picturesque chateaux in Bordeaux, dating from the 12th century, with real towers and a Camelot-style moat surrounding it. A large estate, they have been making top-flight wines for well over a decade, yet the prices remain very realistic for a classified growth Bordeaux. The 2009, which boasts Michel Rolland as the consultant, was a final blend of 62% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest tiny dollops of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Score: 92

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2017-2037 01 March 2012

The finest wine made here since the 2005, the 2009 (a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) was harvested between September 29 and October 22. Its dense purple color is followed by abundant aromas of camphor, charcoal, barrique, blackberries, and creme de cassis. Dense, structured, and full-bodied with high, but sweet, well-integrated tannins, and tremendous precision as well as freshness, this 2009 should evolve for 20-25 years. (Tasted three times.)

Score: 91 - 93

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2010-2035 27 April 2010

This little-known property was purchased by Bernard Magrez in the late nineties and has seen a resultant transformation in quality. With Michel Rolland as consultant, La Tour Carnet is now producing attractive, forward wines deserving of its classed growth status. Very consistent performance since 2001. Lovely fresh fruit, some minerality. Good weight. Stylish wine.

Score: 90 - 92

Albany Vintners, - 01 April 2010

Very dark. Very subtle and complex on the nose. Round and easy and pretty relaxed. Seems rather effortless. Lots of pleasure and nice ripeness rather than simple sweetness. Good! 16.5+

Score: 16 - 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2028 01 April 2010

Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long finish. Solid and balanced, with pretty tannins. A polished young wine.

Score: 90 - 93

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 31 March 2010

Medium-deep ruby. Classic Medoc nose of blackcurrant, graphite and cedar is presently a little closed. Enters the mouth full and silky, with bright blackberry and plum flavors and fine-grained tannins. Finishes moderately long and very clean, though just a touch warm.

Score: 87 - 89

Ian D'Agata, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2009

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