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VINUM: "Dunkles Rubinrot; strahlender Duft, tiefgründig, komplex, feinwürzige Noten, weisser Pfeffer, Veilchen, Heidelbeeren, subtil auch weisser Tee, krautige Noten; am Gaumen gradlinig, klar und rein wie ein Bergbach, top strukturiert, Massen an Tannin von ausgezeichneter Qualität, diese Gerbstoffe machen sich erst ganz hinten am Gaumen bemerkbar, stützen die Frucht, geschliffen, präzis, von erhabener Länge und einmal mehr mit grosser Eleganz und Finesse."
95
FALSTAFF: "Anfangs sehr verschlossen im Duft, öffnet dann auf: zu Heidelbeere, Herzkirsche und schwarzem Pfeffer. Die Gaumenstruktur setzt geschmeidig an, entfaltet dann einen sehr homogenen, feinen Gerbstoffdruck, außer einer recht präsenten Säure zeigt der Wein nur geringe Anzeichen des Jahrgangstyps. Die Frucht hallt mit großer Reintönigkeit und Länge nach, auch die Mineralität ist gut präsent."
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THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Showing one of the deepest colors of the vintage, the wine pops with flowers, black cherries, licorice, smoke, chocolate, and plums in the aromatic profile. The wine is supple, spicy, and fragrant in the mouth, leaving you with sweet, spicy, peppery, black cherries, marine influences, and crushed rocks which come through in the mid-palate, through to the finish. The wine was made using 52% whole bunch clusters, blending 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Merlot, 13.2% ABV, pH 3.6. The wine is aging in a combination of 70% new, French oak, 19% foudres and 11% amphora. Picking took place September 17- September 27. Drink from 2027-2047."
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THE WINE ADVOCATE: "One of the most impressive wines of the vintage, the 2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a striking effort that sets itself apart with seamless integration, even at this early stage, and a strong sense of identity. Poised, precise and unmistakably singular, it opens in the glass with a perfumed bouquet of iris, violet, dark berries, cherries, vine smoke and gentian. Medium to full-bodied, supple and notably fleshy for the vintage, it’s layered and textural, with a sappy, enveloping core of pure, vibrant fruit framed by finely grained, velvety tannins, culminating in a long, precise and gently stemmy finish. This is one of the rare wines of the vintage where sappiness is expressed with such finesse and charm, thanks in no small part to meticulous vineyard work and severe sorting in the winery. The blend is composed of 48% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot, and it's maturing in a combination of 70% new oak, 19% foudres and 11% amphorae."
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ANSON: "Inky depths to the colour, touch of reduction on the opening as is often the case with En Primeur Carmes, this delivers energy, density, clarity. Austerity on the finish, but plenty of interest, savoury and muscular juicy black fruits, expect a wine that is built around about texture, architecture and savour, which is not something that I have found in many bottles in the vintage. 90% new oak, split between barrels and casks, 11% amphoras. Harvest 17 to 27 September. 3.61 pH, clay and limestone, 60 years old average vine age. 46hl/H yield in vineyard, 41hl/h after picking selection, then 24hl/h after cellar selection. All press used, no chaptilisation."
