Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion 2021

WEINWISSER: "40 % Cabernet Franc, 35 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 % Merlot, 13,5 Vol.-%, pH 3,6, 42 hl/ha, 45 % ganze Trauben, 70 % neue Barriques, 100% Infusion (kein «pumping-over»). Dicht verwobenes, sehr präzises Bouquet, Wildkirsche, frisch gepflückte Alpenheidelbeere und verführerischer Iris-Duft, dahinter Holundergelee, Estragon, Szechuan-Pfeffer und schwarze Oliven. Am energiegeladenen Gaumen seidige Textur, fein pfeffriger Extrakt, magisch stützende Rasse (wie Kreidepuder), edle Salznote und kakaoartiges Tanningerüst. Im konzentrierten Finale katapultiert sich der Athlet nach vorne mit Schlehensaft, getrockneten Rosenblättern und erhabener Adstringenz, dazu tiefschürfende Terroirwürze gepaart mit zarter Bitterness. Knapp hinter Haut-Brion dieses Jahr, aber vor La Mission!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "This is a special wine for the vintage with a wonderful and impressive tannin texture that melts into the wine, giving softness and finesse. Medium-bodied, showing a solid core of fruit with beautiful, focused cassis, blackberry and crushed-stone character. The unique terror of this estate, which is surrounded by houses in a suburb of Bordeaux, has produced a gorgeous wine in this difficult vintage. 45% whole bunches. 40% cabernet franc, 35% cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot."

DECANTER: "Beautiful aromatic complexity on the nose, floral nuances and expressive blackcurrant, black cherry and dark chocolate but you're really getting the perfumed Cabernet fruit. This has an instant presence in the mouth, fully flavoured and juicy but so balanced, nothing sticking out, with the elegance of the ripe cool fruit touching the sides of the mouth. Tannins are present but fine and gently grippy with detail and definition to them. This has a lot of life for the vintage, one of the more full, round wines with chewy, fleshy tannins. The Cabernet gives backbone and density, the Merlot ripe red fruits, and then the chalky, slate, pencil lead, graphite salinity of the terroir comes in on the finish, giving that nuance, the sense of place and the vintage. Great rise and persistence all the way through, such drive but also lift, it doesn't let up. A stand-out wine - extremely classy and memorable. Skilled winemaking on show from Guillaume Pouthier. 5% more tannins than in 2020 which was already high. Grapes were picked at a natural alcohol of 14.2% so no chaptalisation here. 3.6pH. 45% whole bunches. Ageing in 70% new oak, 20% new foundre and 10% amphoras."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A brilliant and intensely individual wine, the 2021 Les Carmes Haut-Brion shows immense potential. Wafting from the glass with aromas of rich berries and plums mingled with notions of raw cocoa, loamy soil, rose petals, burnt sage and vine smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, vibrant and seamless, with a deep, dynamic core of fruit and a long, penetrating finish. Transcending the limitations of the vintage, it wouldn't surprise me were this wine ultimately to surpass the 2019 and 2020 in quality. It's a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot that's maturing in 70% new oak and the rest in 15-hectoliter foudres. Tasted twice."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Angenehme Kräuterwürze, schwarze Herzkirschen, ein Hauch von Pflaumen, zart nach Minze und kandierten Orangenzesten, attraktives Bukett. Komplex, straff, dunkle Beerenfrucht, stoffige, seidige Tannine, mineralisch und frisch im Abgang, voll Energie und Länge, schwarze Kirschen im Nachhall, große Eleganz, sicheres Reifepotenzial, perfekte Balance."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Garnet in color, the wine opens with tobacco leaf, cigar box, thyme, herbs, flowers, espresso, and red berries. Medium/full-bodied, vibrant, fresh, and focused on its purity of fruit as well as its elegance. This sublime wine is silky and sensuous. This finish is long and refined, with sweet, ripe cherries, dark cocoa, spice, herbs, a drop of citrus, and cigar wrapper with a cool touch of salt and crushed rock that come out in the endnotes. The wine was made using 45% whole bunch clusters during fermentation. From a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, 13.5% ABV, pH 3.6. The wine is aging in a combination of 70% new, French oak, 20% foudres, and 10% amphora. Drink from 2025-2050."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2021 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot, aging in 70% new barriques, 20% new 18 hl foudres, and 10% amphoras. Deep garnet-purple colored, it shoots out of the glass with vivacious notes of kirsch, black cherry preserves, cassis, and blueberries, plus hints of candied violets, star anise, cinnamon toast, and Ceylon tea. Medium-bodied, the palate shimmers with intense red and black fruit sparks, framed by grainy, multi-layered tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and mineral-laced. While the weight is ethereal, the intensity is mind-blowing and an amazing achievement in this vintage. The Cabernet Franc contribution makes this a triumph, as does the inspired use of stems. Batches with ripe stems are selected for whole-bunch fermentation and the rest are destemmed. 45% was selected for whole-bunch fermentation this year, 10% less than in 2020. if you can put aside your stylistic preconceptions of what Bordeaux is and embrace this bright, energetic style with amazing textural complexity (from oak, stem, and grape skin tannins), you will love this evocative, age-worthy beauty. pH 3.6."

JEB DUNNUCK: "I'd put the 2021 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Based on 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot, aging in 80% new barrels, it offers a brilliant perfume of plum and black raspberry fruits supported by lots of spice and exotic floral notes. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a rounded, expansive mouthfeel that's rare to find in the vintage, terrific mid-palate depth, moderate acidity, and a great finish. It's a singular, brilliant Pessac that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-25+ in cold cellars. Enough can't be said about the quality and passion being brought to this estate by winemaker Guillaume Pouthier, and this is an estate readers need to be purchasing."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot. 45% whole bunch. Cask sample. Deep purple-crimson hue. Lively and fresh with spicy, smoky notes on the nose. There’s a lushness to the ample fruit but lift and freshness as well, the plentiful tannins upright and integrated. Again, lots of energy and drive with just that bit more concentration than Le C. Clean, dry finish. Vibrant and harmonious. (JL) 13.5% Drink 2028 – 2045"