2015 Château les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

The blend is 44% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Once again, Les Carmes Haut-Brion stakes its place as one of the most distinctive wines being made in Bordeaux. The 2015 exudes richness, power and intensity. Layers of dark red stone fruit, cedar, tobacco, smoke and pomegranate build up as the wine shows off its voluptuous personality. Les Carmes Haut-Brion stands out for many reasons, including its high percentage of Cabernet Franc, which is unusual in Pessac. 

In 2015, winemaker Guillaume Poutier also added a dollop of whole clusters to give the wine more aromatic lift. The use of whole clusters is of course quite common in Burgundy and the Rhône where Poutier formerly made the wines at Chapoutier), but is very rarely seen in Bordeaux. This full-throttle Pessac will drink well for decades, but it also needs time to shed some of its considerable baby fat. I tasted it three times.

44% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon. 60% whole-bunch vinification. First vintage vinified in the new cellar. Aged 24 months in new oak barrel 80%), foudre 10%) and amphora 10%)

Deep crimson hue. Rich and ripe with berry-fruit notes on the nose, though not yet fully expressive. Full and large on attack then refocuses on the finish with length and drive. Texture smooth and suave. Abundant tannin but the tannins finely honed so no aggression. Rich but polished and balanced.

Drink 2023 - 2040

Very polished and poised with an immensely powerful core of tannin that drives incredible length on the palate. Fruits are deep in the dark berry spectrum, encapsulating a terrific sense of freshness through the finish. Great wine. 

Try from 2024

3.7ph, 40% new oak.

The succulent depth and width of this wine are clear as soon as your nose hovers over the glass. Concentrated tannins hum underneath a more sculpted aerian side of fragrant peonies and raspberry leaf that take off through the palate. This was a warm vintage and we are on a warm site here, and yet you feel a freshness, with crushed mint leaf and juicy cranberry that belies the vintage and speaks to deft winemaking. This is the point at which Carmes begins to fully take on its own personality that is not necessarily reflective of the appellation as a whole.

Drink 2024 - 2044

The 2015 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 44% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 24 months in 80% new and 20% one-year-old oak. 

Deep garnet-purple coloured, it has pronounced notes of crushed black and red currants, warm blackberries and black pepper with touches of cedar chest, pencil lead and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, very fine and with plenty of black and red fruit layers, it has a plush backbone and seamless acid, finishing earthy.

Drink 2021 - 2039

The 2015 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is the first vintage vinified with 100% infusion, including 55% whole bunches. This has a much more intense bouquet compared to the 2014: copious blackberries, blueberry and crushed violet scents, hints of blood orange and a light cassis touch with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine density and precision, good grip, and edgy tannins with clearly more <em>mineralité</em> percolating through the finish. Excellent. Tasted at the Les Carmes Haut-Brion vertical at the château.

Drink 2023 - 2050