Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2022
Country: France Region: Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux
Varietal: 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot
Category: Red Wine Style: Dry Vintage: 2022
Producer: Chateau Haut-Brion
Description:
Located in the Pessac-Léognan appellation to the south-west of Bordeaux, Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion has garnered a reputation as one of the most innovative châteaux in the area. During the French Revolution it was seized then sold at auction. Acquired by the Chantecailles, it remained in the family for over a hundred years. Today, the uber-modern Philippe Starck designed cellar firmly cements Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion's place as a forward-thinking 21st century producer. Owners Patrice and Diane Pichet have been the driving force in its reputation as one of the most dynamic properties of Pessac-Léognan in recent years, as well as Guillaume Pouthier, whose experience as an engineer and oenologist stands out for the practices he has implemented.
The vines used to produce this wine are around 40 years old and they grow in a terroir of pebbles, sand and soil in Pessac. The vineyard is worked traditionally always with the goal to improve production. This wine’s distinguishing feature is its proportion of Merlot and Cabernet Franc (40% and 50% respectively), a blend rarely seen on the left bank. The resulting cuvée is rich, dense and harmonious.
100/100 Points - Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is the finest wine bottled to date at this estate under Patrice Pichet's ownership and Guillaume Pouthier's direction. Unfurling from the glass with aromas of violet, iris, dark wild berries, pencil lead and mulberries, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated with a deep core of fruit beautifully framed by velvety, precise tannins, segueing into a long, saline and perfumed finish. Suave and harmonious, it was crafted with 70% whole bunches and matured in 70% new oak. This unconventional blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot represents a turning point for the estate, cementing its rapid ascendancy in the Bordeaux firmament. 2032 - 2062
100/100 Points - Decanter Deep and brooding, this wine is beautifully floral with violets, irises and peonies alongside ripe black cherries, liquorice and dark chocolate. Concentrated yet bursting with energy, it flows effortlessly. Vibrant red fruits – strawberry, cherry, raspberry – sit atop a mineral backbone of saline, wet stones. Crisp yet powdery tannins and bright acidity give incredible tension. Despite its depth, it feels almost weightless, so drinkable yet built to age. Pure, pristine and vibrant, with no trace of heat – just balance and finesse. A true expression of place. A sure-fire hit.
99/100 Points - James Suckling, Jamessuckling.comThe purity and focus here is impressive with blackcurrants, crushed stones and floral undertones. The whole-bunch character comes through clearly with rose-stem and floral aromas and flavours. Full-bodied, this is always so delicious but has lots of integrated, open-grained tannins. Idiosyncratic. So attractive now but will age beautifully.
98/100 Points - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.comI think one of the legendary wines in the vintage will be the 2022 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, which comes from a tiny vineyard not far from Haut-Brion. Despite mostly being not destemmed, you wouldn't know it by tasting it. It has a classic bouquet of ripe blackberries, cassis, leafy herbs, graphite, and violets. Full-bodied, concentrated, beautifully balanced, and with a rare mix of purity, freshness, and power, it's going to rival the 2018 as one of the finest vintages ever produced from this address. It's worth noting this estate has a unique terroir in Pessac that includes some limestone in the soils, and this worked particularly well in 2022. Don't miss this wine.
Tasting Notes:
Opaque in hue, aromatically, the wine delivers a cornucopia of fruits, incense, curry, flowers, and smoke. The palate is even better with its endless layers of seamless fruits that caress your senses with their display of salt-tinged, spices, crushed rocks, pit fruits, berries, and white pepper. The seamless finish crosses the 60-second mark with poise, refinement, and purity.
Food Pairings: This exceptional wine pairs perfectly with grilled or roasted red meats, aged beef, game birds, lamb chops, or refined dishes with sauces, as well as with mature cheeses.
