2023 Les Carmes Haut Brion
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Tasting notes
The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has almost identical analysis to the 2022, although it’s a totally different wine – something winemaker Guillaume Pouthier attributes to the longer growing season. With some sun damaged fruit and extensive sorting (they removed around 10% of the crop via density and optical sorting), he had to reduce the proportion of whole-bunch fermentation – needing perfect fruit, so it represents 60% of the blend this year. The resulting wine is intense and floral, with a sweetness to the cassis fruit. It’s full of dark, ripe, pure and vibrant fruit that vibrates at the core, wrapped in a creamy layer and polished, supple tannins, with a twist of freshness and a silken texture. Enchanting. Aged in 70% new oak, 10% amphora and the remaining 20% in larger old oak, with 13.5% alcohol and 3.62pH. Blend: 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Slightly higher in Cabernet Franc than usual, the 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion opens with a nuanced bouquet of cassis, cassis leaf, licorice, dark berries, wisteria and blueberry. Medium- to full-bodied, fleshy yet strikingly linear, it’s defined by a tensile structure and a crystalline precision that gives the wine remarkable clarity. The tannins are exquisitely refined—silky yet laser-focused—imparting a sense of purity and balanced. Despite 90% new oak, the élevage is seamlessly absorbed, shaping the wine’s structure without encroaching on its intrinsic balance and precision. Kudos!
Beautiful notes of exotic red and black fruits, spring flowers, violets, leafy herbs, and tobacco emerge from the 2023 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, with subtle hints of iron and graphite. Aged 22 months in barrel, the first year in 70% new oak with the rest in used barrels and concrete, and the second year all in used foudre, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, has a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, impressive balance, and a great finish. I love the purity and polish of its tannins, and while it already has charm, this deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve beautifully for 30+ years. Drink 2030-2055.
The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur , if not more so. Silky and intensely aromatic, the 2023 boasts magnificent purity from start to finish. Dark red-toned fruit, mocha, lavender, rose petal and exotic spice notes abound. Vinification with 60% stems exalts aromatic intensity and brilliance. The 2023 is a magical wine in the making.
About the producer
One of the most exciting properties in Bordeaux, Les Carmes Haut-Brion technically sits within the city’s limits today. Guillaume Pouthier arrived in 2012 and, under his tenure, the property has been elevated to the highest ranks.