2001 Les Carmes Haut Brion
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Tasting notes
The 2001 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a fresher, cleaner bouquet than the 2000, generously scented with blackberry, star anise, licorice and light dried blood/ferrous notes, all nicely focused and demonstrating impressive vigor for a 20-year-old. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and very saline in the mouth. Not amazingly complex, but certainly structured and almost like a Madiran on the stocky finish, which cuts away a little quickly. With adequate decanting, I can imagine this turning into a decent 2001.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Full, rich nose and quite a modern impression. All macerated berries. Better than most but with some jagged spikes on the palate. Long. (JR)
A quintessentially elegant, finesse-styled Bordeaux with complex aromatics but a delicate palate, the 2001 Les Carmes does not possess the muscle and power exhibited by the 2000, but the aromatics are 90 point material. This dark ruby-colored, light to medium-bodied offering reveals notes of sealing wax intermixed with tobacco leaf, red and black currants, and a hint of beef broth. With excellent balance as well as an accessible style, it can be consumed over the next 10-12 years.
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.