Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2021 i trækasse

"96-98 points. The 2021 is a magical wine. That's all there is to it." - Antonio Galloni
"96-98 points. A magical Carmes... so fascinating" - VV Wine

Anmeldelser af Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 2021

96-98/100 Vinous - Antonio Galloni
"Technical Director Olivier Pouthier crafted one of the wines of the vintage at Les Carmes Haut-Brion. The 2021 possesses mind-blowing intensity and stunning persistence. Bright red-fleshed fruit, blood orange, mint, dried flowers and exotic spice caress the senses as the 2021 shows off its sheer allure. I don't think I have ever tasted a young Carmes with this level of precision. The blend is 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, aged in 70% new oak, 20% new foudres and 10% in amphora. As always, Les Carmes sees some whole cluster, 45% in 2021, an unusual technique in Bordeaux, but one that works so well here. The 2021 is a magical wine. That's all there is to it."

96-98/100 VV Wine 
"Ruby red. Initially restrained nose, subtle reduction, needs some time, then opens up and reveals a puzzle of aromas, violets, ripe berries, peppery spice, herbs, raspberries, this is a poem, a perfectly painted fragrance. Fresh on the palate, very lively, the fruit is crisp, the tannins, as always, of excellent quality, that is great precision, finesse, elegance, the wine has structure, a very good balance, the acidity vibrates, is not obtrusive, but supports it crisp fruit, excellent length in the finish. A magical Carmes who, as always, is stylistically out of line and that's why it's so fascinating"

96-98/100 Anthocyanes, Y. Castaing

96-97/100 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."

96-97/100 Alexandre Ma
"It is so incredible! Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a miracle this year... In such a cool vintage, how does it manage to exhibit such ripe aromas, especially the black fruit notes of prune, dried blueberry, and dried plum? The lines of the body are surprisingly distinct and proportionally structured, coupled with a layer of powdery tannins attached to the taste buds. The pallet is so soft as if your tongue is being caressed by a fairy. How can we resist such an amazing wine? Thanks to the talk with the technical director Guillaume, I learned the secret behind. In order to achieve the best level of ripeness, the winery has adopted an extreme harvest method similar to Sauternes (each plot was harvested 3 times on average). This obsessive-compulsive harvesting method has not only allowed to obtain the grape stems of ideal ripeness (45% whole bunch fermentation) but also create the shining moment for Les Carmes Haut-Brion. In my opinion, it is one of the very few top-quality wines that can surpass the vintage of 2020."

94-97/100 Robert Parker 
"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."

96+/100 Markus Del Monego, Master of Wine

96/100 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."

96/100 Tastingbook.com

94-96/100 Jeff Leve, 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."